Thant Myint-U Peacemaker: U Thant, the United Nations and the Untold Story of the 1960s

About

In this powerful and timely talk, acclaimed historian and writer Thant Myint-U presents his forthcoming book Peacemaker: a sweeping biography of his grandfather U Thant, the longest-serving Secretary-General of the United Nations and one of the most influential yet overlooked figures of the twentieth century.

Drawing on new archival research and a lifetime of personal insight, Thant reveals how a former schoolteacher from Burma became the quiet architect of diplomacy during the stormiest decade of the Cold War. U Thant stood at the centre of some of the most dangerous confrontations in modern history the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Congo crisis, and the Six-Day War navigating each with a mix of steadfast principles, moral clarity, and a deep belief in international cooperation. Calm, pragmatic and fiercely independent, he embodied a vision of global leadership that prioritised ethics over power politics.

Peacemaker is not only the story of U Thants remarkable life; it is also a fresh diplomatic history of the 1960s, revealing how the United Nations shaped world affairs at a moment of decolonisation, technological change, and superpower rivalry. As todays international order strains under new conflicts, resurgent nationalism and fragmented alliances, Thant Myint-U argues that his grandfathers forgotten example offers an urgent message: the future was never predetermined and the possibilities once imagined may still be reclaimed.

Thant Myint-U is an American-Burmese historian, writer, and international public servant. He is currently a Visiting Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he lives. A former senior UN official, he has served in peacekeeping, political affairs and humanitarian roles around the world. He is the acclaimed author of several award-winning books on Myanmar and global history, praised for their depth, clarity and humanity. His work has been described as essential, masterful, and a rare blend of scholarly insight and vivid storytelling.

A Q&A Session will follow.