The MCI particularly acknowledges the many contributions that H.E. Ban Ki-moon has made to the Entrepreneurial School® within the context of Distinguished Guest Lectures, messages at graduation ceremonies, the development of scholarships for young students from all over the world, an annual summer school for “Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development”, and his long-standing fraternal connectedness.
In his acceptance speech, Ban Ki-moon wittily explained: “As Ambassador and UN Secretary-General, you are addressed as ‘Ambassador’, ‘Secretary General’ or ‘Excellency’. However, I have not been any of these for some time now. With 'Professor' I now have a suitable form of address again, which I am particularly pleased about. I have been awarded numerous honorary doctorates in my career, but never a professorship. I would like to thank the renowned MCI, which is known for its academic excellence and with which I have been associated for a long time, for the many years of wonderful collaboration and the honorable distinction!”
Prior to his appointment as UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon was a career diplomat at the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations. As the 8th UNSG, Ban Ki-moon was tasked with mobilizing world leaders on a range of emerging global challenges, from climate change and economic development to combating pandemics and increasing pressures on food, energy, and water. He played a leading role in achieving the landmark Paris Climate Agreement and, under his leadership, emerged the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda. Ban Ki-moon is currently Co-President of the Ban Ki-moon Center for Global Citizens (BKMC) in Vienna, which aims to help young people develop into responsible global citizens in line with the SDGs.
The awarding of the MCI Honorary Professorship took place in the magnificent Max Reinhardt Library of the beautiful Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg. Among the illustrious guests were high-ranking decision-makers from business, science, politics, and society, including Prof. Dr. Heinz Fischer, former Federal President of the Republic of Austria, former EU Commissioner Prof. Franz Fischler, the Korean Ambassador Ham Sangwook, the President of the Salzburg Global Seminar Ambassador Martin Weiss, and the Head of the Ban Ki-moon Centre Vienna Monika Froehler. The ceremony was wonderfully accompanied by the world-renowned South Korean flutist Jasmine Choi.
Read more here.
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