Mogens Lykketoft (Danish pronunciation: [mɔʊ̯əns ˈløkəˌtˢɒft]; born 9 January 1946) is a Danish politician and a leading figure in the Social Democratic Party.
In December 2002 he succeeded Poul Nyrup Rasmussen as party leader of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterne). After losing the 2005 Danish parliamentary election he resigned as leader of his party. In the Cabinets of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen I, II, III and IV which governed from 1993 to 2001, he held positions as Finance Minister and Foreign Minister. During the cabinet of Helle Thorning Schmidt from 2011 to 2015 he was Speaker of the Folketing (Danish Parliament).
In June 2015 he was unanimously elected the President of the United Nations General Assembly presiding over the 70th session of the General Assembly beginning 15 September 2015.
The World Community is facing serious challenges, and the United Nations is more important than ever before.
Mogens Lykketoft and Mette Holm both grew up with parents who had experienced the German occupation in Denmark during WWII and feared a new world war. In the UN, they found hope of a world that could cooperate on peace, development and respect for human rights. This was part of the couple’s ballast when they ventured to the UN Headquarters New York in the summer of 2015; they are keenly aware that you cannot solve the world’s problems by isolating yourself or by interacting only with the people, with whom you agree the most.
After 15 months’ service at the UN, the couple give an engaged and inspiring account of their work as President and ‘First Lady’ respectively of the UN 70th General Assembly. Also, they give an introduction to the UN, its special action areas and point to the future and future challenges of international cooperation.
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