U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be honored at DU's Korbel Dinner on Aug. 24
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be the keynote speaker at the 14th annual Korbel Dinner on Aug. 24 at the Hyatt Regency Denver.
The Josef Korbel School of International Studies is honoring him with the University of Denver’s Global Advancement Award.
As the eighth secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon has sought to strengthen the United Nations, help countries facing crisis, empower women and promote sustainable development.
“We are honored to host Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon along with the other distinguished honorees at the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies,” says Christopher Hill, Korbel dean and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq. “It will be a great opportunity for our students and the Denver community to hear from the man who is trying to mobilize nations.”
As part of his focus on climate change, the secretary-general will meet with energy leaders earlier on Wednesday at an event co-sponsored by the U.N. Foundation, the Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development at the University of Colorado-Denver and the Korbel School. He also will tour the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The U.N., founded in 1945 after World War II, fosters world peace with a membership of 193 member states.
The Korbel Dinner also will honor Timothy and Bernadette Marquez with the Josef Korbel Humanitarian Award.
The Marquez’s are heavily involved in promoting health and education in Colorado through the Denver Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit that helps Denver Public School students go to college.
Also, one of Denver’s most loved NBA stars, Chauncey Billups, will receive the University of Denver’s Bridge Builder Award. In addition to his professional accolades, Billups is known for his community involvement with the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy and the Elite Basketball Academy.
The Korbel Dinner serves as the principal avenue for raising funds to continue the significant work of the Korbel School as well as an opportunity to honor the leadership and commitment that embody the goals established by the school’s founder, Josef Korbel.
Tickets to the dinner are still available. To purchase tickets, visit the Korbel Dinner website or 303-871-2882 by August 23.