United Nations: Secretaries-General Quiz

Answer: Gladwyn Jebb

Gladwyn Jebb was born on 25 April 1900 in the United Kingdom. He passed away on 24th October 1996 (aged 96) in Suffolk, England, UK. Interestingly, 24th October is also the day of the establishment of the United Nations. Therefore, 24th October is celebrated as United Nations Day.

He served as the acting Secretary-General of the United Nations from 24 October 1945 to 2 February 1946 until its first secretary-general was appointed. Before that, he had also served as Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission of the United Nations in August 1945.

Answer: Trygve Lie

Trygve Lie was born on 16 July 1896 in Oslo, Norway. He passed away on 30 December 1968 in Geilo, Norway.

He was a member of the Norwegian Labour Party.

He served as the first Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2 February 1946 to 10 November 1952. He was elected for a second term but resigned.

Answer: Dag Hammarskjöld

Dag Hammarskjöld was born on 29 July 1905 in Jönköping, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway (now Jönköping, Sweden). He passed away on 18 September 1961 (age 56), in a plane crash while he was on a peacekeeping mission to the nation of Congo.

He became the youngest Secretary-General of United Nations at the age of 47. He held the position from 10 April 1953 to 18 September 1961. He was elected twice as the secretary-general. He was also the first secretary-general to die in office.

He also received the Nobel Peace Prize for his works in 1961. A point to be noted is he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize before his death.

Answer: U Thant

U Thant was born on 22 January 1909 in Pantanaw, British Burma, British India. He passed away on 25 November 1974 (aged 65) in New York City, USA. He died due to lung cancer.

He was the first Asian and non-European to become the Secretary-General of United Nations. His tenure as the secretary-general was from 30 November 1961 to 31 December 1971.

Answer: Kurt Waldheim

Kurt Waldheim was born on 21 December 1918 in Sankt Andrä-Wördern, near Vienna, German Austria. He passed away on 14 June 2007 (age 88) in Vienna, Austria.

He had been the 9th President of Austria from 8 July 1986 to 8 July 1992. He has also served as the Foreign Minister of Austria.

He served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 1972 to 31 December 1981. He was elected twice as secretary-general.

Answer: Javier Pérez de Cuéllar

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar was born on January 19, 1920 in Lima, Peru. He had been the 135th Prime Minister of Peru.

He served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1991. He was elected twice as secretary-general. He had also served as the President of United Nations Security Council.

Answer: Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Boutros Boutros-Ghali was born on 14 November 1922 in Cairo, Egypt. He passed away on 16 February 2016 (aged 93) in Cairo, Egypt.

He had also served as the first Secretary-General of La Francophonie from 16 November 1997 to 31 December 2002.

He served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1996.

Answer: Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan was born on 8 April 1938 in Comassie, Gold Coast (now Kumasi, Ghana).

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 2001, which was presented jointly to Kofi Annan and the United Nations. Kofi Annan had joined United Nations in 1962, where he worked for the World Health Organization.

He served as the Secretary-General of United Nations from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006. He was elected twice as secretary-general.

Answer: Ban Ki-moon

Ban Ki-moon was born on 13 June 1944 in Insei, Japanese Korea (now Eumseong County, South Korea).

He had served as the Foreign Minister of South Korea from 17 January 2004 to 1 December 2016.

He was the first east-Asian to be elected Secretary-General of the United Nations. He was elected twice as secretary-general. His first term was from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2011, while his second term lasted from 1 January 2012 and ended on 31 December 2016.

Answer: António Guterres

António Guterres was born on 30 April 1949 in Lisbon, Portugal. He is the first secretary-general to be born after the establishment of United Nations.

He was the 114th Prime Minister of Portugal from 28 October 1995 to 6 April 2002.

He had also served as 10th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 15 June 2005 to 31 December 2015. He became Secretary-General of the United Nations on 1st January 2017.