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In the early 1960s, U Thant, a practicing Buddhist from a remote town in Burma, became the first non-Western secretary-general of the United Nations. He was immediately faced with unfolding crises in Congo, Yemen, Cyprus, India, Pakistan and Cuba.
We talk with Thant’s grandson, historian Thant Myint-U, about how his grandfather’s diplomacy de-escalated conflicts, gave voice to the newly decolonized, and safeguarded the environment. His new book, “Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World,” describes his grandfather’s journey to becoming the Cold War era’s preeminent ambassador of peace.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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