U Thant
U Thant: A Life of Diplomacy and Leadership
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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U Thant's full name is U Win Thant, and he was commonly known as U Thant. He held the titles of Secretary-General of the United Nations and Burmese diplomat.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: April 17, 1909, in Pantanaw, Myanmar (then Burma)
Died: November 25, 1974
Nationality and Profession(s)
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U Thant was a Burmese national with a career spanning diplomacy and international leadership.
Early Life and Background
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U Thant's early life began on April 17, 1909, in Pantanaw, Myanmar. His family had a long history of education and politics within the Burmese context. U Thant pursued his studies at Rangoon University and later earned a scholarship to study at Oxford University.
Major Accomplishments
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Some of U Thant's most notable achievements include:
He was appointed as Burma's permanent representative to the United Nations in 1948.
In 1961, he became the Secretary-General of the United Nations after Dag Hammarskjöld's death.
During his tenure as Secretary-General, he advocated for disarmament and peacekeeping efforts.Notable Works or Actions
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U Thant was a strong advocate for international cooperation. Some notable works include:
"View from the UN", U Thant's book of essays on international issues and his experiences at the United Nations.
* He played a crucial role in negotiating the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Impact and Legacy
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U Thant left a lasting impact on the world through his leadership and commitment to peace. His efforts led to significant progress in disarmament and peacekeeping initiatives, setting a precedent for future generations of diplomats.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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U Thant is widely remembered due to his tireless dedication to peace and his role as Secretary-General during pivotal moments in international history.
Quotes by U Thant
I don’t like to be disturbed at home; I tell the cable office not to call me before 6:30 AM, unless there’s a war.
The single most important impediment to global institutions is the concept of “my country, right or wrong”.
To understand my feelings – and my conception of the role of Secretary General – the nature of my religious and cultural background must first be understood. I should therefore like to outline not only my beliefs but also my conception of human institutions and of the human situation itself.
As we watch the sun go down, evening after evening, through the smog across the poisoned waters of our native earth, we must ask ourselves seriously whether we really wish some future universal historian on another planet to say about us: "With all their genius and with all their skill, they ran out of foresight and air and food and water and ideas," or, They went on playing politics until their world collapsed around them.
Wars begin in the minds of men, and in those minds, love andcompassion would have built the defenses of peace.
As a Buddhist, I was trained to be tolerant of everything except intolerance. I was brought up not only to develop the spirit of tolerance but also to cherish moral and spiritual qualities such as modesty, humility, compassion, and, most important, to attain a certain degree of emotional equilibrium.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - This great and inspiring instrument was born of an increased sense of responsibility by the international community for the promotion and protection of man's basic rights and freedoms. The world has come to a clear realization of the fact that freedom, justice and world peace can only be assured through the international promotion and protection of these rights and freedoms.