By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Korean universities to play a critical role for a greener and cleaner future.
Ban made the remarks at a forum on climate change and sustainable development in Asia and Africa at Korea University, Seoul, Monday.
``Universities such as yours are founts of ideas and innovation. They are furnaces of entrepreneurship. So, send forth this word. Tell your university students, your colleagues, your political leaders … we must seize this once-in-a-generation chance,'' he said.
``Scientific and intellectual leadership is the key to creating the new green economy of the twenty-first century. Now we need to put the best minds― our best young minds, particularly ― to work in generating climate solutions. Professors challenge their students to aim high … to succeed for themselves while helping others.''
Regarding the ``United Nations Climate Change Conference'' in Copenhagen coming up in December, he said, ``World leaders must go to Copenhagen in December and make it real. They must seal a deal in the name of humankind.''
Ban said there could be no solution to the challenge of climate change that is not global. ``If we can come together in partnership, we can transform today's challenge into tomorrow's opportunity… an opportunity for green growth and sustainable prosperity.''
Some 220 celebrities, including Asian and African university presidents and Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo, as well as ambassadors here, participated in the forum. During the forum, heads of the universities agreed to put their minds together to cope with global climate change.