Q: Regarding the World Humanitarian Summit that will take place in Istanbul, what are your expectations for this summit? What concrete results would you like to achieve?
SG:  As you may know, we are living in an era of peril and many challenges because of ongoing conflicts all around the world, particularly with the Syrian crisis continuing for 6 years; it generated so many displaced persons and refugees. We have more than 60 million refugees and migrants around the world.  This is the largest number ever since the end of the Second World War. If we add some more people who really need humanitarian assistance on a daily basis, that is up to 125 million people around the world.  This number of humanitarian needs really make the UN’s and other humanitarian agencies’ work almost impossible. That is why, for the first time in the history of the UN, we decided to convene a World Humanitarian Summit. I have invited world leaders to come to Istanbul and show their – first of all - political commitment and political guidelines and to mobilize a necessary political will as well as resources. This may not be a pledging conference per say, but we would like to have such strong political commitment by the world leaders. We are  going through financial and economic difficulties but I believe it is not a matter of number, but a matter of global solidarity. If there is a united global solidarity by the world leaders, we can handle this matter. This is why we expect from the world leaders that we can get clear and strong commitment and guidelines. There will be several round tables which we are now organizing, on various aspects of humanitarian needs and I am sure that we will have great success.
Q: Some say that Brazil is living a soft coup d’Etat, others are saying that the rules of the constitution are being followed. What is your evaluation of what is happening in Brazil today?
SG: This is purely a domestic situation, but it is true that I have been closely following what is going on in Brazil as Secretary-General of the UN.  I sincerely hope that there will be a very transparent, accountable process in accordance of all democratic processes and also constitutional processes. This is what I’m asking and I’m expecting  from relevant institutions of Brazil in the coming months. I was encouraged to see president Dilma Rousseff participating in the signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We had a brief chat, but as the Secretary-General my only hope is that all this current crisis will be resolved as soon as possible in accordance with all constitutional and democratic procedures of the Brazilian government.
Q: What is the symbolism of the flame being here in the United Nations?
I hope President Thomas Bach will add more to the symbolism of the flame. The Olympics are a mega sports event; sport has a strong power of inspiring and uniting people, it has a spontaneous power of giving a lot of energy and dynamism to the people, it transcends all race boundaries, national boundaries, belief, religions and ideologies. There is only one principle that sport is giving, that is why, when it comes to sport, we can be united. There is a rallying power. The flame, which was brought from Greece, will tour around the world and particularly around Brazilian cities. Through this I think people will not only cheer, they will take this opportunity to unite themselves for peace and development. The UN and the IOC have been strengthening their partnership during decades and particularly during my time as the Secretary General with President Bach. I am very proud to report to you that such a relationship has been much strengthened. And I am going to do that. It is for humanity, it is for development, it is for peace and reconciliation. It has a healing effect, it has a unifying effect, it is sending hope to many people, who otherwise would be very much frustrated. In that regard, I highly commend the vision and the commitment of President Bach to have invited refugee athletes to this Olympic Games for the first time.  Let’s all of us have hope for a better future.