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Please join us for a special session with the 8th United Nations Secretary General, the Honorable Ban Ki-moon, on how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) shape and can accelerate global climate action. As a respected leader at the forefront of the most urgent global questions — how to make life sustainable for all — Mr. Ban will share his perspective on the overlap of the SDGs and the global climate agenda, the lessons learned from implementation of the SDGs both globally and in the Asian region, as well as the highest priorities and key recommendations for the next five years.

Mr. Ban’s remarks will be followed by a moderated conversation with Asia Society’s President and CEO, Dr. Kyung-wha Kang. 

SPEAKERS

The Hon. Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean diplomat who was the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG) from January 2007 to December 2016. Before becoming UNSG, Mr. Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. As the eighth UNSG, Ban Ki-moon’s priorities were to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy, and water. He led the efforts for the landmark Paris Climate Agreement and, under his leadership, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda were created.

Ban Ki-moon currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens which seeks to empower youth and women to become active global citizens in creating a sustainable future for all. In addition, he currently holds over 20 positions, including the Presidency and the Chairmanship of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and Chairmanships of the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Ethics Commission of the International Olympic Committee, and the BOAO Forum in Asia.

The Hon. Dr. Kyung-wha Kang is Asia Society President and Chief Executive Officer (effective April 1, 2024). Dr. Kang is an accomplished diplomat who served as South Korea’s 38th Minister of Foreign Affairs (2017 to 2021)—the first woman to serve in this role in the nation’s history. She previously held key leadership roles at the United Nations and was appointed to senior positions by three consecutive Secretaries-General: as Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights under Kofi Annan, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs under Ban Ki-moon, and Senior Advisor on Policy to António Guterres.

Before joining the UN, Dr. Kang held various positions in the Korean Foreign Ministry. She served as Minister at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the UN, during which she chaired the 48th and 49th sessions of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. She also spearheaded efforts to highlight women with disabilities in drafting the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Dr. Kang holds MA and PhD degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and her doctorate work was in the field of international and intercultural communication. She has served as Distinguished Professor at the Institute for Global Engagement & Empowerment, Yonsei University in Korea.