United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses a memorial for Joseph Verner Reed at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States, Nov. 29, 2016. The United Nations on Tuesday held a memorial to pay tribute to Joseph Verner Reed, a U.S. veteran diplomat who served in 1987 as the UN under-secretary-general to head the then UN Department of Political and General Assembly Affairs. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Tuesday held a memorial to pay tribute to Joseph Verner Reed, a U.S. veteran diplomat who served in 1987 as the UN under-secretary-general to head the then UN Department of Political and General Assembly Affairs.
At the memorial, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon mourned the passing of Reed and gave thanks for his life of global service, adding that he opened doors to new friendships for many members of the diplomatic community.
"My wife and I were plunged into sadness when we learned of his passing," said Ban. "We will always cherish memories of our many times together."
"As a member of the UN Arts Committee, he made the Headquarters complex not just an interesting place to visit, but a beautiful sight to behold," noted Ban.
"He also organized the annual celebration of UN Day at the Julian Curtiss School in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he brought people from all walks of life together to celebrate our Organization," he added.
Zaw T. Win, Reed's close aide for 30 years, told Xinhua that Reed is "a quintessential diplomat," and "he truly believed in the principles of the United Nations, and a tireless advocate of the objectives of the United Nations."
"He often said that it is far, far cheaper to achieve peace than wage a war," Win said.
"If the world has more diplomats like Ambassador Reed, peace around the world will be much easier to achieve," he said. "The diplomatic community has lost a true champion of peace."
Reed, born on Dec. 17, 1937, served as UN under-secretary-general and special representative for public affairs from 1992 to 1997.
From 1997 to 2004, he was president of the Staff-Management Coordination Committee of the United Nations. In January 2005, he was appointed as UN under-secretary-general and special adviser. He was re-appointed as such in 2009.
