Name
Urquhart, Brian (Interviewee)
Weiss, Thomas G. (Thomas George), 1946- (Interviewer)
Title
Oral history interview with Sir Brian Urquhart, 2000
Abstract
Background and childhood: born in England, 1919; education: Oxford University; career: British soldier, 1939-45, personal assistant to acting Secretary-General, 1945, personal assistant to first United Nations [UN] Secretary-General, involvement in issues related to international peace and security, 1954-71, under-secretary-general for special political affairs, 1971, retirement, 1986; themes: expe rience writing autobiography, biographies of other diplomats, colonialism and African independence, instability in African nations as a result of colonialism and independence, role of the Economic Commissions for Europe [ECE] during the Cold War, significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR], UDHR influence on global human rights movements, roles of specialized UN agencies, UN peacekeeping after Bangladesh secession from Pakistan, lack of accountability for Secretariat in UN, effect of McCarthyism on international civil service, differences between UN secretariat and national governments, importance of global conferences and reports, ideas for UN Secretariat reform, instances of members pursuing personal agendas in UN General Assembly, changing relevance of UN, colleague reminiscences
Collection Name
United Nations intellectual history project (UNIHP)
Subjects
Peace; Security, International; Human rights; Biography as a literary form; Colonies--Africa; Postcolonialism; Africa History; Urquhart, Brian; United Nations Officials and employees; United Nations History; United Nations. Secretary-General; United Nations. Economic Commission for Europe; United Nations. General Assembly; United Nations; Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Format
oral histories; sound recordings
Genre
Interviews
Date
2000
Note (Biographical)
Personal Assistant to UN Secretary General
Note
Interviewed by Thomas G. Weiss on January 6, 2000
Note (Provenance)
Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, Gift, 2009
Language
English
Library Location
Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Catalog Record
13685525
Persistent URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-3hct-3e87
Related URLs
Available digital content for this interview.