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INTERNATIONAL

So I think the main career advice I for Development Cooperation. I was ECE. I believe that through a range of
can give to young people is to really very grateful to the Secretary-Gen- initiatives we have managed to raise
commit yourself and be interested in eral who encouraged me to apply for awareness, visibility and outreach.
what you do. That is how my career this position.
was shaped, but then of course there Perhaps the most significant achieve-
have been fortunate coincidences. I Q: You have been the Executive Sec- ment for UNECE in the past year is
have met people who have given me retary of UNECE for almost eighteen that we have really managed to de-
a helping hand and who have advised months now. What do you consider velop a clear link between what we
me. I became the chairman of one of as your main achievements? do and the new sustainable develop-
civil society's biggest organizations in ment goals. We are engaged in sup-
Denmark. The reason for this was that I think we have managed to increase porting sixteen out of the seventeen
the previous chairman decided that the visibility of the work we do. UN- sustainable development goals, with
I should succeed him, so he called ECE is an undiscovered pearl and it substantive engagement in ten and
me. I was very young. As his opinion has so many concrete norms, stand- very significant engagement in an-
was very respected, it was accepted. ards and conventions that affect the other six. What we do is really for the
Then I went to the World Bank and lives of citizens throughout Europe, benefit of our Member States, for citi-
worked there for a year. In fact, I met or throughout the world, every single zens all over the world. What we have
somebody who I hardly knew, and I day. People often know about vehicle developed over sixty-eight years are
am really grateful for what he did for safety standards that save people's these hundreds of norms, standards
me because it changed my life com- lives in road crashes, or promote en- and conventions that are global pub-
pletely. I met him, expressed my in- ergy efficiency in cars. Our citizens lic goods, available in every country,
terests and then he said: "You should enjoy much cleaner air today than in every community. We have really
go to work for the World Bank." He we did decades ago because of our managed to strengthen our work in
helped me to find a position in the air convention. When you go to the line with achieving these goals.
World Bank. When I entered the supermarket and buy an apple, you
United Nations I believe I benefited know the quality standard is guaran- Q: Recently people were jealous to
from the good personal relationship teed. In all of these areas, people do hear that you had been to Rome to
I developed with the Secretary-Gen- not realise that these initiatives have meet the Pope, together with Jean
eral when I was the Danish Minister been developed and hosted by UN- Todt, the UN Secretary-General's

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INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT - DIVA