Profile

António Guterres is a prominent figure whose career bridges science, politics, and diplomacy. He graduated in Electrical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico (1971) and began his career in teaching and university social action. He entered politics in the 1970s, being elected to the first Portuguese democratic parliament in 1976. He led the Socialist Party (1992–2002) and served as Prime Minister of Portugal (1995–2002), promoting social policies and European integration, including preparing Portugal for the euro. He was also President of the Socialist International (1999–2005).

At the international level, he stood out as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2005–2015), leading responses to global humanitarian crises. In 2016, he was elected Secretary-General of the United Nations, a role he continues to hold. His mandates have been marked by a strong commitment to multilateralism, peace, sustainable development, and the fight against climate change.

He has been honored with various national decorations, including the Grã-Cruz da Ordem Militar de Cristo (2002) and of the Ordem da Liberdade (2016), as well as numerous foreign distinctions from countries such as Brazil, France, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Ukraine, Japan, and Tunisia. He holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of Lisbon, Coimbra, and Beira Interior, as well as from institutions in several other countries, including Japan (2014), Canada (2016), Spain (2016), the United Kingdom (2021), Argentina (2022), and the United States (2017, 2022).