Portrait of Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
This gift is a portrait of the former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1922 – 2016), who was an accomplished Egyptian politician, academic, and diplomat. The portrait depicts the former Secretary-General sitting in a white wicker chairs on a balcony in front of the Nile. He is wearing a dark suit and a rust-red tie.
Former SG Boutros-Ghali said, it was an honour to have this portrait next to those of his predecessors who had built this great institution.
The artist, Even Richardson (1961 – ) lives in Oslo, Norway and graduated from the State Art Academy. He has exhibited his work in Norway and Sweden and has completed other portraits, including the King and Prime Minister of Norway.
At the presentation ceremony, Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke to the attendees. He said, “You led with a firm and steady hand a United Nations seeking to find its bearings in a world full of sudden change. You gave our work solid intellectual foundations in your agendas for peace, development, and democracy. You opened the door to the reforms we are pursuing today.”
The ceremony was attended by former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, Mrs. Nane Annan, Mrs. Leah Boutros-Ghali and the artist Even Richardson of Norway.