United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that multilateralism and “the fruits of enlightenment” were being challenged by “irrationality, ignorance and isolationism”, as he received an honorary doctorate jointly awarded by the KU Leuven and UC Louvain universities to the United Nations on Friday (21 March).
“I am here today to deliver a simple and stark message: Multilateralism matters. But it is under attack like never before. We can and must overcome this threat together. Now is the time,” Mr. Guterres said in Leuven, Belgium.
UCLouvain and KU Leuven jointly awarded the honorary doctorate to the UN for its commitment to peace, human rights, and sustainable development. The two universities stated that they “acknowledge the UN’s pivotal role in protecting the most vulnerable members of society and its ongoing efforts to reform and innovate, despite grave geopolitical tensions.”
Truth, science and knowledge under attack
Mr. Guterres said Leuven had been the site of groundbreaking achievements from the Renaissance to the information age, from the humanist thought of Erasmus and the cartography of Mercator, to current research on Artificial Intelligence.
However, at this moment in time, he said, “we risk losing sight of Europe’s greatest gift to civilization — the Enlightenment.”
“Everywhere we look, the fruits of the Enlightenment are being challenged by the voices of irrationality, ignorance and isolationism,” the Secretary-General said. “Truth, science and knowledge are being questioned. Expertise and experience have somehow become liabilities. And the multilateral values that the United Nations embodies — collaboration, solidarity, united action and human rights — are being undone by mistrust and geopolitical divisions.”
Mr. Guterres pointed out that the 600th anniversary of the university coincides with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations as an organization and as the epicenter of multilateralism. He praised Belgium and the European Union for championing international cooperation, democracy, human rights and global solidarity.
“Standing here in Europe, we know this same commitment to multilateralism is the beating heart of your own European Union,” Mr. Guterres said. “Today, the European ideal stands as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to the world’s most vulnerable people, and proof that isolationism is an illusion, never a solution. A strong and united Europe is not just essential for the continent. It is a fundamental pillar of a strong and effective United Nations.”
Lives at stake in global crises
The Secretary-General addressed several urgent issues on the global agenda at a time when “voices of nationalism and isolationism are growing louder with a dangerous resurgence of strongarm politics,” and at the same time donors are dramatically scaling-back humanitarian and development support — while defence budgets soar.
“It would be the cruelest of ironies for the poor to be made to pay for weapons for the rich,” Guterres said.
“Last week, I was in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh with Rohingya refugees …But with looming cuts, Cox’s Bazar is fast-becoming ground zero of the funding crisis, with money for basic essentials like food, running out.”
The Secretary-General added that he was hopeful that several donor countries will help overcome “this tragic situation, because without a reversal of these cuts in Cox’s Bazar and beyond — people will suffer and people will die.”
Frontlines of human dignity
Addressing the students of KU Leuven and UC Louvain universities, he said he is convinced that “the clear and present dangers to multilateralism in our time” can be overcome. He added that the fact that the library of the University of Leuven had twice been destroyed in 1914 and 1940 and twice been rebuilt, sent a clear and powerful message.
“These were not only attacks on books and manuscripts. These were attacks on history, science, reason, knowledge and art. These were attacks on the very hallmarks of humanity.“
He urged the university students to be “on the frontlines for human dignity.”
“Refuse indifference. Choose hope. Confront injustice. Defend truth. And for that you can draw, being inspired by the values these universities represent,” Mr. Guterres said. “This is more than just your story — it is humanity’s story. It shows that no matter the challenge, we can face down threats. We can overcome obstacles. We can build stronger than before. And so, let us carry this legacy forward. And let’s keep building — together.”
