Ban Ki-moon

Role

Eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations & Chair, International Olympic Committee Ethics Commission

Mr Ban Ki-moon is the Chair of the International Olympic Committee’s Ethics Commission.

Mr Ban served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2007 to 2016. In this position, Mr Ban prioritised giving a voice to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, as well as working to strengthen the UN itself. His most successful work included initiatives related to climate change, poverty eradication and peace efforts in the world’s conflict zones.

During Mr Ban’s tenure as UN Secretary-General, the historic Paris Climate Accord was universally adopted in 2015. Moreover, in 2015, a resolution on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was adopted by the UN General Assembly. Mr Ban was a major advocate for the creation of UN Women. His work included a number of initiatives championing women’s rights and gender equality, including the “Unite to End Violence Against Women” campaign. Under his leadership, the number of women in senior management positions within the UN increased by more than 40 per cent, reaching the highest level in the organisation’s history.

In 2013, he was named on the Forbes list of The World’s Most Powerful People, and prior to being elected UN Secretary-General, he served as the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea from 2004 to 2006. Currently, Mr Ban serves as Chair of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), President and Council Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute, and Honorary Chairman of the Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment at Yonsei University.

Mr Ban graduated from Seoul National University and earned a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University. He also holds an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Cambridge and several others. He speaks Korean, English and French.

The speakers

Using the unique power of sport to bring people together, the Olympism in Action Forum saw a range of global players, including Olympic Movement stakeholders, athletes, private and public sector leaders, NGO representatives, academics, artists and the media come together to talk on topical contemporary issues. Chosen because of their ability to effect change and their wide range of sometimes differing opinions, the speakers led lively debates and seeked to challenge received wisdom to inspire new ways of thinking.