Selected Speeches
Dr. Leeserved as the President of SNU from 2006 to 2010. These are selected speeches during his presidency.
Welcome Address for Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy (April 18, 2007)
HIT: 9300
Welcome Address for
His Excellency, Prof. Romano Prodi
Prime Minister of Italy
By Dr. Jang-Moo Lee
President, Seoul National University
April 18, 2007
Distinguished Ambassadors, professors, and ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, it is a great pleasure and honor, on behalf of Seoul National University, for me to welcome His Excellency, Prof. Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy. My warmest welcome extends to Mrs. Prodi as well. Let me also welcome distinguished ambassadors, professors, and guests to today’s special lecture.
I would also like to congratulate the Graduate School of International Studies and its EU Center for hosting this very special occasion.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since its creation six decades ago, Seoul National University has been a bastion of education, research and, public service in Korea. Now, we are striving to become a first-class university that can lead the knowledge- and information-based society of the 21st century. For this end, we are promoting, among other things, extensive academic exchanges and cooperation with universities and research institutes around the globe. We believe that we can learn and benefit enormously from opening ourselves to the outside world and different cultures, and cooperating and integrating with our neighbors, near and far. Through such effort at internationalization, we believe Seoul National University will make a great leap forward to its goal for the 21st century.
In this respect, we are indeed fortunate and privileged to have Prime Minister Prodi with us and have an opportunity to listen to his lecture on “Peace and Prosperity through Integration: An Italian Perspective on European Experience and Asian Challenges.” I am confident that his wisdom and vision will be a great inspiration to many of us in this part of the world, who are exploring ways of promoting regional cooperation and integration.
I have a strong affinity for Prime Minister Prodi because he has been a scholar and an academic all his life. He has been a professor of industrial economics at Bologna University, the oldest university in the world. He is also internationally renowned as one of the founders of the Italian School of Industrial Economics.
As you may know, Korea used to be a land of Confucianism, and we have a long tradition of “scholar-politicians” or “scholar-bureaucrats.” Even in the lands of Confucianism, however, it is not easy to find persons who excel in both academia and politics. Thus, it is all the more remarkable to know that Prime Minister Prodi has been successful not only in academia and politics but also in the world of business and international diplomacy. Throughout his distinguished career in academics, business, politics, and diplomacy, he has indeed left a great imprint on whatever field he has worked in. This is a truly impressive accomplishment.
Once again, I sincerely thank the Prime Minister for sharing his precious time with us. I wish him success with the various tasks he is currently pursuing as the Prime Minister of Italy.
Thank you very much.
His Excellency, Prof. Romano Prodi
Prime Minister of Italy
By Dr. Jang-Moo Lee
President, Seoul National University
April 18, 2007
Distinguished Ambassadors, professors, and ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, it is a great pleasure and honor, on behalf of Seoul National University, for me to welcome His Excellency, Prof. Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy. My warmest welcome extends to Mrs. Prodi as well. Let me also welcome distinguished ambassadors, professors, and guests to today’s special lecture.
I would also like to congratulate the Graduate School of International Studies and its EU Center for hosting this very special occasion.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Since its creation six decades ago, Seoul National University has been a bastion of education, research and, public service in Korea. Now, we are striving to become a first-class university that can lead the knowledge- and information-based society of the 21st century. For this end, we are promoting, among other things, extensive academic exchanges and cooperation with universities and research institutes around the globe. We believe that we can learn and benefit enormously from opening ourselves to the outside world and different cultures, and cooperating and integrating with our neighbors, near and far. Through such effort at internationalization, we believe Seoul National University will make a great leap forward to its goal for the 21st century.
In this respect, we are indeed fortunate and privileged to have Prime Minister Prodi with us and have an opportunity to listen to his lecture on “Peace and Prosperity through Integration: An Italian Perspective on European Experience and Asian Challenges.” I am confident that his wisdom and vision will be a great inspiration to many of us in this part of the world, who are exploring ways of promoting regional cooperation and integration.
I have a strong affinity for Prime Minister Prodi because he has been a scholar and an academic all his life. He has been a professor of industrial economics at Bologna University, the oldest university in the world. He is also internationally renowned as one of the founders of the Italian School of Industrial Economics.
As you may know, Korea used to be a land of Confucianism, and we have a long tradition of “scholar-politicians” or “scholar-bureaucrats.” Even in the lands of Confucianism, however, it is not easy to find persons who excel in both academia and politics. Thus, it is all the more remarkable to know that Prime Minister Prodi has been successful not only in academia and politics but also in the world of business and international diplomacy. Throughout his distinguished career in academics, business, politics, and diplomacy, he has indeed left a great imprint on whatever field he has worked in. This is a truly impressive accomplishment.
Once again, I sincerely thank the Prime Minister for sharing his precious time with us. I wish him success with the various tasks he is currently pursuing as the Prime Minister of Italy.
Thank you very much.