News Stories

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver a major address on disarmament and nonproliferation at the Monterey Institute of International Studies on Friday, January 18. The event is being co-hosted by the Institute and its James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), the world’s leading research center focused on preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s address, titled “Advancing the Disarmament and Nonproliferation Agenda: Seeking Peace in an Over-armed World,” will discuss a range of disarmament and nonproliferation challenges facing the United Nations and the international community. At the conclusion of his address, the Secretary-General will engage in a question and answer session with the audience, which will include Monterey Institute students, faculty, staff, alumni, supporters and friends.

As Secretary-General, Mr. Ban’s priorities have been 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 has sought to rejuvenate the disarmament agenda through a five-point plan, efforts to break the deadlock at the Conference on Disarmament and renewed attention to nuclear safety and security in the aftermath of the tragedy at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

“I grew up in war,” the Secretary-General has said, “and saw the United Nations help my country to recover and rebuild. That experience was a big part of what led me to pursue a career in public service. As Secretary-General, I am determined to see this Organization deliver tangible, meaningful results that advance peace, development and human rights.”

“We are delighted and honored to host the Secretary-General at the Monterey Institute,” commented MIIS President Sunder Ramaswamy. “Numerous Institute alumni work at the United Nations and its associated agencies today, putting our commitment to training the next generation of international professionals into practice.”

The Secretary-General’s visit to Monterey comes at the invitation of CNS Founding Director William Potter. Established at MIIS in 1989, CNS maintains offices in Monterey and Washington, DC, and also operates the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in collaboration with the Austrian Foreign Ministry.

The Monterey Institute’s unique Master of Arts in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies program builds on the world-class expertise resident in CNS, as well as the Monterey Terrorism Research and Education Program (MonTREP). The Monterey Institute is also home to one of the world’s most highly regarded programs for professional translators and interpreters, and well-known programs in international policy studies, public administration, and international environmental policy.

Please note that due to limited seating availability, attendance at this ticketed event is for invited guests and credentialed media only. View the video of the live-streamed event that started at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, January 17.

For More Information

Jason Warburg
jwarburg@middlebury.edu
831.647.3156

Eva Gudbergsdottir
eva@middlebury.edu
831.647.6606