Activities of Secretary-General in Washington, D.C., 15-16 May

On Friday afternoon, 15 May, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon-taek, travelled to the University of Maryland at College Park, where he met with a group of students from the School of Public Policy, which is led by Dean Robert Orr.

That evening, he attended a dinner hosted by Georgetown University President John DeGioia in honour of the graduation speakers and recipients of honorary degrees.

In his toast at the dinner, the Secretary-General advised the students to “be open to new people, new adventures, new ideas”.  During the reception, prior to the dinner, the Secretary-General had a brief conversation with United States Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell.

The next morning, the Secretary-General received an honorary doctorate from Georgetown University and delivered the commencement address to the 2015 class of the School of Foreign Service.

In giving advice to the graduates, the Secretary-General encouraged them to choose service, be bold, listen, and act with passion and compassion.  “What is important to remember,” Mr. Ban told the students, “is that history does not measure a person by his or her bank account.”  (See Press Release SG/SM/16754.)

“What counts,” he continued, “is how much one gives back to the world and how courageously one fights for what is right and for those in need.”  Before finishing, the Secretary-General encouraged the graduates to give back.  With the privilege of a Georgetown University degree, he said, they had a debt to society to inch the world closer to social justice.

Prior to returning to New York, the Secretary-General stopped by the historic Dumbarton Oaks Foundation to visit the house where, in 1944, so many of the discussions about the formation of the United Nations had taken place.

The Secretary-General and Madam Ban returned to New York early on Saturday afternoon, 16 May.