António Guterres was chosen by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and Uppsala University to deliver the 2018 Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture for his long-standing commitment to the United Nations and its values.
‘Dag Hammarskjöld is my reference and my inspiration in the work I try to do as UN Secretary-General’, said Mr Guterres, speaking from the podium in Uppsala Castle, Hammarskjöld’s childhood home. He went on to explain that Hammarskjöld, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty, should be viewed as the central reference point for the United Nations ideal.
The Secretary-General outlined in his speech some of the fundamental problems facing society today, including instability in the Middle East, disregard for the refugee protection regime and threats from cyberwar, nuclear proliferation and climate change. He noted that one of our greatest trials is to build trust in the idea that there are solutions to the world’s current problems.
Watch the livestream from the event below.