14 v International Educator JULY+AUG.12

A

ices secretary general ofthe Unitedsecretary NationsonJuly 1ofthis year. and Chair (MDG) ofWaterAid/. Goals Development deputy roleas He new his began envoy toDarfur, Advocate ofthe He UN amember . Group now is forthe Millennium General Kofi Secretary 2006 then UN UN as a special AnnanDecember appointed Eliasson Generaltions Swedish Assembly. as minister affairs. In forforeign In served 2006healso In ofthe United president totheJune United elected Naambassador - States. 2005hewas affairs. forforeign From 2000to2005hewas Sweden’s Swedish as secretary state served From and the , . 1994to Sudan, 1999Eliasson inoperations , for in humanitarian affairs,involved UN undersecretary-general the first appointed as was chairman Generalwas ofthe UN Assembly’s relief.In onemergency working 1992he group the secretary-general’s as onIran/Iraq. representative served also personal In 1991Eliasson Sweden’s as 1992, he served in to the York,UN New representative permanent where he mission ofthe mediating UN the Iran-Iraq part was to 1986,Eliasson War. From 1988to within theFrom atsome of theUnited highest levels Nations(UN). 1980 served has Eliasson student in the United States influence your career? your influence theUnitedstudent in States Elia IE: Elia IE: ternational issues? ternational - in about knowledgeable andtobecome cultures different from toothers exposure need students Why do enhancestudentlearning. can spectives University, you witnessed how international per international University, how youwitnessed We andglobal live goin a world togeth where local - in any systeminthe national world education today. would work international with affairs the of rest my life. The idea—laterI insideme thatthe conviction—grew bus tour around experience. a“mini the States UN” was other wellstudents international Our as as students. American with andbuilt friendships family American ofan part in was my life. I period defining anddecisive By ElainaLoveland How did your experience as a foreign exchange exchange aforeign as experience your How did In your experience teaching at Uppsala teaching experience In your sson: sson: veteran inthefields ofdiplomacy andforeign relations International perspectives are necessary are necessary International perspectives My an stayexchange as studenta was deputy secretary general oftheUnited Nations iplomacy for PeaceDiplomacy An interview withJanEliasson, - program work? program theexchange How does an exchange program? toestablish Foreign Ministry and the Swedish sity security andadangerous world of“Us”security and“Them." a potential. By that of we would createsense a false and apossibility notas aproblem oraperil—and as turn regarding inwards the and start world outside this thereIf wedonotrealize isadanger that wewill andmeo Juliet that “there Verona.” isaworld outside interrelated Shakespeare reminds people. us in Ro as er. We interdependent are nations growingly and as Elia IE: universities andmy threeafter during times diplomatic professor at visiting Uppsala as and served I other with Swedishuniversities. developed also grams Inthe 1980sand90ssuch pro- Swedish foreign service. andthe inthe 1970sbetween started How did you collaborate with Uppsala Univer Uppsala with youcollaborate How did sson: Exchanges ofstudents anddiplomats

, Jan Jan , - -

Courtesy of Jan eliasson brought us into contact with representatives of American higher education institutions. My wife was closely working with these agen- cies, and they were instrumental in giving her the support needed when reporting to Sweden about American science policy and the federal policies vis-à-vis higher education institutions. We also yearly hosted seminars and dinners for the American laureates re- ceiving the Nobel Prizes.

IE: As a member of the advisory board on the Alliance for Peacebuilding, what is your opinion about including peace stud- ies in university curricula or providing students the opportunity to gain expo- sure to peace studies through specialized study abroad programs? Eliasson: I would widen this to a need for studies in international affairs and global trends, generally. I would also like to remind of the benefits of language studies and of Jan Eliasson, deputy secretary general of the , addressed the effective—and affordable—exchange pro- International Luncheon during the 2012 NAFSA Conference in Houston, Texas. grams. In a globalized world we need to enlarge networks among younger people. career. It was very rewarding for me to meet kans and other parts of Africa. The plague Personal friendships and meetings across students and pass on “the baton” to younger of land mines was a shocking experience for borders are our best peace-keeping instru- generations and share experience on issues me, leading to initiatives to limit their use ments. I also hope that the communications like conflict resolution, mediation and nego- and human consequences. Prevention was revolution and social media will be a positive tiations as well as development, humanitarian always—and still is—a passionate interest of force to bring people and nations together. assistance, and human rights. mine. I cannot understand why nations and IE: people so often act only after the disaster. We You have been named the fourth IE: As the first UN under secretary gen- could save so many lives, so much suffering, deputy secretary general of the United eral for humanitarian affairs in the early money and night sleep if we were to act on Nations as of July 1, 2012. What do you 1990s, you were involved in operations in the first signs of situations going wrong in- hope to achieve in this role? Somalia, Sudan, Mozambique, and the stead of waiting and delaying action. Eliasson: I am honored and proud to be Balkans. What was your role in initiatives appointed deputy secretary general of the IE: InternatJULY+AUG.12 i onal E ducator on issues such as land mines, conflict pre- From 2000–2005, you were the Swedish UN. It is a tough and challenging appoint- vention, and humanitarian action? ambassador to the United States. During ment. The world is facing serious political, Eliasson: The humanitarian mandate for this time, were there any achievements economic, and environmental pressures. the UN was established in December 1991 that you are especially proud of in regard Multilateral action sometimes does not after a long and arduous negotiation in the to building relationships between Swedish come easily—even if we should realize that UN General Assembly. I was the chair of and U.S. higher education institutions? good international solutions are in our na- these negotiations as Sweden’s UN ambas- Eliasson: When serving in Washington tional interest. I will work with issues related sador. I did not know at the time that I was as ambassador, my wife, the then science to war and peace as well as to development doing my own job description—I was ap- counselor at the Embassy, and I, promoted a and building bridges to actors both inside an e l iasson pointed the first under-secretary-general for number of contacts with American science and outside the UN. humanitarian affairs in January 1992. The and education institutions. These were main- Nobody can do everything, but every- of J tesy horrible disaster in Somalia was one of my ly to be found in Washington: the agencies, body can do something. IE ou r C first challenges as well as civil wars in the Bal- the White House science experts, who also ELAINA LOVELAND is editor-in-chief of IE.

15