Former Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar turns 100

Tuesday, 21 January 2020 - 9:00am

Former Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar turns 100

On 19 January, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, the fifth Secretary-General of the United Nations, will celebrate his 100th birthday.

Secretary-General António Guterres extended his birthday wishes to the former Secretary-General:

Your life has spanned not only a century but also the entire history of the United Nations, dating back to your participation in the first meeting of the General Assembly in 1946. As the United Nations now marks its 75th anniversary, we who work at the Organization today strive every day to build on your impressive legacy.

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar served two terms as Secretary-General: from January 1982 to December 1991.

Mr. Pérez de Cuéllar was born in Lima, Peru, on 19 January 1920.

Now retired, he was a lawyer and a career diplomat.

He was a member of the Peruvian delegation at not only the first General Assembly session, but also at the twenty-fifth to thirtieth sessions.

In the early 1970s, he was Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations. Later, he was the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus.

In 1979, Pérez de Cuéllar was appointed Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Affairs, until ultimately becoming the Secretary-General.

Happy and healthy birthday!