Story by James Chau

Each New Year, we talk about new starts and new beginnings. But in the case of Ban Ki-moon, it is the end of his ten years as Secretary-General of the United Nations. In the decade he which he led the world as its top diplomat, we have been mired in a conflict in Syria, and health emergencies from Ebola to Zika. But the international community has seen major breakthroughs with the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

When I interviewed Mr. Ban two weeks ago in New York, his residence was being packed-up, ready for his return to South Korea and what many suspect will be a run at the presidency. With a political crisis of its own, a question mark now hangs over his bid – if there ever was one. He has never confirmed his interest, though in our conversation, he went a step further by saying that he was fully aware of the frustration felt by millions of South Koreans, and the need now to build functioning institutional mechanisms.

To a journalist, that sounds like a potential pitch to the electorate, but whether he chooses to run or not is secondary to a future role he will almost certainly play – for South Koreans, and for his family. With a mother who is 96 years old, children and grandchildren, he referred to the Confucius teachings that shaped his upbringing: if you want your government to function, your family should behave set a good example first.

I first met Mr. Ban as a journalist, when I went to New York to cover the General Assembly. But, for most of his ten years as Secretary-general I have served as a Goodwill Ambassador – firstly for UNAIDS and then for the World Health Organization. It has given me a ringside seat to learn how the UN works for its 7 billion global citizens, and why sometimes patience is wiser than immediate action.

In this day and age where we our interactions are dominated by social media, prudency is not always a popular approach. But when we are talking about saving, protecting and improving lives, it often is.  In China, Mr. Ban was very much seen as an ‘Asian’ Secretary-General, not merely because he was born in a neighboring country, but because his approach as a negotiator was familiar to it. He will be missed by many more who saw him evolve into a champion for social justice.

In our interview, he spoke about the LGBT community, his creation of UN Women, and what he calls “our only planet earth”. Beneath the understated veneer is a person who cares very much about those of us who are vulnerable. And that will continue – the new Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, is the former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Many of us have described 2016 as the end of the world as we know it but, if so, 2017 could be the year when we begin to turn a positive and meaningful corner.  It was a great interview to do and with thanks to Producer Bronwyn Cosgrave, and Director of Photography Daniel Cawthorne.