"Contribution to Poverty Alleviation in Developing Countries"
On the 24th, Yeungnam University awarded an honorary Doctorate in International Development to former World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.
This honor recognizes his contributions to overcoming poverty in developing countries and advancing global public health and medical fields for the shared prosperity of human society. Yeungnam University is the first institution outside the United States to confer an honorary doctorate on former President Kim.
Former President Kim served as the 12th President of the World Bank. From July 2012 to February 2019, he led the World Bank Group for 6 years and 7 months, spearheading efforts to promote development in developing countries and improve healthcare environments, as well as eradicate global poverty.
The World Bank was established in 1945 with the goal of eradicating poverty worldwide and promoting economic development in developing countries. Along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), it is considered one of the three major international economic organizations.
Kim Yong, former President of the World Bank (left in the photo), is taking a commemorative photo with Choi Oechul, President of Yeungnam University, after receiving an honorary doctorate degree.
At the honorary doctorate awarding ceremony, former President Kim said, “I hope this degree conferral today will be the first step toward achieving the goals of eradicating global poverty and prosperity together with Yeungnam University. I look forward to working with Yeungnam University on many more endeavors for human society in the future.”
After receiving the honorary doctorate, former President Kim gave a special lecture titled “Faith in Things Unseen” to international students and faculty members enrolled in Yeungnam University’s Park Chung-hee Saemaul Graduate School.
In the lecture, Jim Yong Kim calmly shared his childhood, growth process, and 40 years of global health activities. He shared extensive experiences and lessons from his health projects in Haiti and Peru through the organization he founded, Partners In Health, HIV eradication efforts in Africa, and mental health issues in modern society, earning great empathy.
President Yoon Suk-yeol sent a congratulatory message for former President Kim’s honorary doctorate conferral ceremony. In the congratulatory message read by Han Jae-sook, Chairperson of the Yeungnam Academy Foundation, President Yoon said, “I congratulate former World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on receiving the honorary Doctorate in International Development for his dedication to the development of developing countries and the eradication of global poverty.”
He added, “I hope that deeper education and research in international development cooperation will be conducted together with Yeungnam University, which is supporting the development and leap of developing countries by advancing Korea’s growth experience into academic knowledge.”
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Foreign Minister Park Jin also sent congratulatory messages to former President Kim via video.
Choi Oe-chul, President of Yeungnam University, said, “This honorary doctorate conferral ceremony is not only to recognize former President Kim’s achievements and honor his personal accomplishments but was prepared with the hope that more global leaders like him will emerge, making the world a happier and safer place.”
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