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Dag Hammarskjöld
Dag Hammarskjöld (1905–1961) was the UN Secretary-General 1953–1961.
After finishing his doctoral studies, Hammarskjöld began a successful career in Sweden. He was Governor of the Riksbank (the central bank of Sweden), State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, minister without portfolio and a member of the Swedish Academy.
As Secretary-General of the United Nations, Hammarskjöld played a very active diplomatic role in the conflicts that went on. His quiet diplomacy proved to be very effective and won great respect.
Dag Hammarskjöld died in unclear circumstances in a plane crash in 1961. He was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Read more about Dag Hammarskjöld in the biography
Quotes by Dag Hammarskjöld
”The principles of [the Charter of the United Nations] are, by far, greater than the Organization in which they are embodied, and the aims which they are to safeguard are holier than the policies of any single nation or people.”
”Modern art teaches us to see by forcing us to use our senses, our intellect and our sensibility to follow it on its road of exploration.”
”We should, rather, recognize the United Nations for what it is – an admittedly imperfect but indispensable instrument of nations working for a peace evolution towards a more just and secure world order.”