President Philemon Yang Visits SHU’s World Leaders Forum

Sophia Alicea

Staff Writer

Seton Hall University welcomed Philemon Yang, president of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, to its World Leaders Forum on April 16, where he delivered a message of global responsibility to the next generation of diplomats and leaders.

The session began with a welcome address by Courtney Smith, the Dean of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, who spoke about the university’s commitment to preparing students for global service. He was joined by the secretary-general of the United Nations Council of Presidents of the General Assembly, who reiterated the UN mandate to promote peace, sustainable development, humanitarian law and international security.

President Yang, a veteran diplomat and former Cameroonian prime minister, elaborated on these principles during the keynote speech. He boiled down the United Nations’ expansive mandate into three pillars: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. Promoting these ideals, His Excellency stated, is “a promise that cannot be kept by simple words.” Rather, he contended, it is an obligation that falls upon everyone, one too weighty for any person or nation to bear in solitude.

With a sense of urgency, President Yang informed students and faculty that “we live in turbulent times” — an understatement, he maintained, in the world today. Citing bloody conflict across the Middle East, Sudan, and Ukraine, and a “weak” global response to climate change, he portrayed a world that needs collective leadership and considered choices.

“The issues at hand are of a kind that each requires distinct solutions,” he said. Alluding to a variety of global crises, President Yang emphasized that every conflict requires certain solutions in light of its distinct history, politics, and culture.

His Excellency also directed attention to education, referring to it as “a foundation that must be strengthened” if the world community is to resolve the issues it confronts. He urged young people to utilize intelligence and learning as instruments of advancement, contending that knowledge has to be preserved and enlarged with a sense of urgency.

“Cooperation is our best hope,” said President Yang, emphasizing the importance of international solidarity at a time of global fragmentation. He cautioned against being obsessed with others’ frailties — the unavoidable consequence of gazing at fellow humans — and instead promoted words over guns. “Instead of buying guns and killing each other, we can use our words,” he said, citing the transformative power of communication.

Looking ahead, His Excellency was hopeful about the June 26 anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, a cornerstone of international law and diplomacy in the post-World War II era. He called on the anniversary not to be a ceremonial occasion but a chance to “rekindle the spirit of 1945,” reminding those taking part in the anniversary of the initial vision for a more just and peaceful world.

“We are all friends,” President Yang restated his theme of common humanity. His comments reflected the UN’s traditional stance of commitment to multilateralism, a principle now challenged by rising nationalism and global polarization.

Concluding his speech, President Yang left students with a direct and encouraging message: “You are today’s and tomorrow’s leaders. You have the energy this world so desperately needs.”

As the auditorium cleared, his words remained— a challenge and inspiration to the would-be diplomats, policy consultants, and advocates in the audience.

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly is also referred to as the “parliament of humanity,” and is at the heart of setting global priorities and addressing urgent global issues . The 79th session, which Yang is chairing this year, has placed renewed focus on the interlinked crises of conflict, climate change, and human rights, in line with broader calls for systemic change from institutions such as the International Crisis Group and Chatham House.

At a moment when the world is increasingly characterized by divisiveness, Yang’s visit to Seton Hall served as a forceful reminder that leadership is not some aspirational ideal for someday, but a shared obligation here and now — one being carried forward by today’s students as they prepare to make their mark in the world.