前新西兰总理海伦·克拉克竞选下一届联合国秘书长

AS IT IS 2016-04-07 Helen Clark Reaches for Top UN Post 前新西兰总理海伦·克拉克竞选下一届联合国秘书长

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says she is a candidate to become the first woman secretary-general of the United Nations.

Clark is among eight candidates for the office, according to the New York Times. Four are men; four are women.

Clark, 66, served as the prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008.

As prime minister, Clark was wildly popular. She increased the minimum wage in New Zealand, offered student loans at zero interest, and signed a trade agreement with China.

She started out growing up on a farm and became the first in her family to go to college.

She starred in a Travel Channel tour of New Zealand, leading viewers around her country. She introduced the world to New Zealand with a televised mountain climb, a bungee jump off a bridge, and an overnight camping trip.

She was also a guest star of a soap opera in New Zealand, called Shortland Street.

Clark is a big user of social media. Her Twitter page,  @HelenClarkUNDP, has more than 119,000 followers¹.

In 2009, she was voted the greatest living New Zealander in a New Zealand Herald² poll.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key called Clark a “proven leader” and added that “her entire life has been dedicated³ to foreign policy. That’s been her area of great passion and interest.”

She has been the top official in the United Nations Development Program since 2009.

Clark said she would try to reform the U.N. She wants the world body to refocus its efforts stopping civil wars and extremists.

The other women being considered are: Irina Bokova of Bulgaria; Natalia Gherman of Moldova, and Vesna Pusic of Croatia.

More candidates could be added during the next few months.

Many members of the U.N. are advocating for the secretary-general position to go to a woman. Russia wants the next U.N. secretary-general to come from Eastern Europe, according to VOA News.

The U.N. General Assembly will conduct public hearings for the candidates next week.

The new secretary-general will take over for Ban Ki-moon. He will step down in December after serving two five-year terms.

Words in This Story

dedicated – adj. having very strong support for or loyalty⁴ to a person, group or cause

passion – n. a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something

hearings – n. meetings or sessions at which evidence and arguments about a crime, complaint or issue are presented to a person or group who will have to decide on what action should be taken

advocate – v. to support or argue for a cause, person or a policy

soap opera – n. a television program that has continuing stories about the daily lives and problems of a group of people

1 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

2 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

3 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

4 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。