United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Loyola Marymount University on Wednesday, April 6, in an invitation-only ceremony in the Life Sciences Building Auditorium.
Watch the live event here.
Ban, a former diplomat in South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was honored for his humanitarian accomplishments; exceptional dedication to the United Nations, his country and the citizens of the world; and his integrity, life and work as an embodiment of the promotion of justice and service to others.
Before a packed audience of students, faculty and staff members and guests, Ban spoke of his childhood as a refugee during the outbreak of the Korean War, and how he saw the United Nations come in and serve as a lifeline for the Korean people.
“So many still see the United Nations flag as a beacon of hope,” Ban said, adding that he strives daily to provide for others what the United Nations did for him. He urged the students present to find ways to be of service to others.
“Whatever profession you may choose, do something good for others,” he said. “Let us reach out to the vulnerable and the excluded people. Let us fulfill our duty as a global citizen to leave no one behind.”
Under Ban’s leadership since 2007, the United Nations has sponsored major programs addressing climate change, violence against women, humanitarian efforts in Darfur and Myanmar, LGBT rights, and extremism and terrorism.
“Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon seeks solutions to complex global problems and leads initiatives that help some of the world’s most vulnerable populations,” said LMU President Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D. “He has advanced many of the Catholic, Jesuit and Marymount values we embrace at Loyola Marymount University, and we are proud to present him with an honorary degree. The Secretary-General embodies global imagination by advocating for meaningful, transformative social change in ways previously unexplored.”
Congresswoman Maxine Waters also addressed the gathering.
This event was co-sponsored by the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts and Asia Media International at LMU.
