President Obama once said, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." You took his words to heart. You volunteered, lobbied, and protested. Your failed vote to stop the freshly-minted politician from getting hold of the nuclear codes might make you feel helpless, but don't lose hope quite yet. Even if we're replacing a visionary progressive with a demagogue, The United Nations has just appointed a secretary-general whose 2017 resolution is to "put peace first."
Antonio Guterres has reassured us that he can't perform miracles, but we can't help but feel more hopeful with Lisbon-born politician in power. Here's why:
+ He has always promoted democratic values and leadership.
+ He began his career as a professor.
+ He co-founded the Portuguese Refugee Council.
+ He was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 until 2001.
+ He's a proud socialist, previously President of the Socialist International.
+ Before being appointed Secretary General, he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for 10 years.
+ In the same world where the Syrian crisis exists, Guturres reduced UNHRC's cost, increased partnerships, and emergency response capacity.
The best part of all is that Guterres has made it clear that he is not afraid of the president-elect. On December 26, Donald tweeted, " The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!" When Antonio was asked if he was worried about the president-elect, Antonio responded, "No. I am concerned about all the terrible problems we face in the world, all the wars that are happening everywhere." He added, "I hope we will all be able to come together."
