Columbia University Press Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World

A South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eight secretary-general of the United Nations from 2007 to 2016 presents this personal account of his years at the helm of the world body at a time of historic turmoil and promise. Illustrations. "Born just one year before the United Nations itself, Ban Ki-moon came of age with the world body. His earliest memories are haunted by the sound of bombs dropping on his village and the sight of fires consuming what remained. At six years old he fled with his family, trudging for miles in mud-soaked shoes, suffering from incessant hunger, and wondering how they would survive-until the United Nations rescued them. And after he experienced its lifesaving mission first-hand, this organization would become his life's calling. Resolved is Ban Ki-moon's personal account of his ten years at the helm of the world body at a time of historic turmoil and promise. Ban performed what has been called "the world's most impossible job" with a natural ability to relate to the poor and struggling people the organization was created to serve and a genuine belief in its capacity for global transformation. He explores past flashpoints-including the September 11 terrorist attacks, engaging the Kim dynasty in North Korea, theParis climate accords, the Ebola outbreak, the Arab Spring, and managing the UN's relationship with the United States-to offer the story of diplomatic lessons learned. Freed from the diplomatic constraints that come with the job, he offers a frank and bracing look at the people and events that shaped our era as well as a piercing analysis of what lies ahead"-- Born just one year before the United Nations itself, Ban Ki-moon came of age with the world body. His earliest memories are haunted by the sound of bombs dropping on his Korean village and the sight of fires consuming what remained. The six-year-old boy fled with his family, trudging for miles in mud-soaked shoes, suffering from incessant hunger, and wondering how they would survive—until the United Nations rescued them. Young Ban Ki-moon grew up determined to repay this lifesaving generosity.Resolved is Ban Ki-moon’s personal account of his decade at the helm of the organization during a period of historic turmoil and promise. Meeting challenges and resistance with a belief in the UN’s mission of peace, development, and human rights, he steered the United Nations through a volatile period that included the Arab Spring, nuclear pursuits in Iran and North Korea, the Ebola epidemic, and brutal new conflicts in Central Africa. As secretary-general, Ban also forged global agreements to fight extreme poverty and address the climate crisis.Ban performed what has been called “the most impossible job on this earth” with a genuine belief in collective action and global transformation. Freed from the diplomatic constraints of a lifetime of public service, he offers a candid assessment of the people and events that shape our era and a bracing analysis of what lies ahead. Resolved is Ban Ki-moon’s personal account of his ten years at the helm of the world body at a time of historic turmoil and promise. He explores past flashpoints to offer the story of diplomatic lessons learned. Autorid: Ban Ki-moon