Moon is Smiling

(UP Diliman Information Office)- Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of the Philippines on October 29 in ceremonies held at the Malcolm Hall Auditorium of the College of Law.

Ban received the University’s highest academic distinction in recognition of “his accomplishments in the fields of diplomacy, specifically in his capacity as Secretary General of the United Nations, a prestigious position held by an Asian for only the second time” as well as his “determination to mobilize political will, for the allocation of adequate resources for development aid to benefit the poorest countries in the world.”

At the time of his election to the United Nation’s highest post, Ban was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea. He has long-standing ties with the UN, dating back to 1975 when he worked for the Foreign Ministry’s United Nations Division. He has also been actively involved in issues of peace and economic cooperation on the global stage.

Accompanied by his wife Ban Soon-taek, he is currently in the country for the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development being held in Manila as part of his four-country tour in Asia.