U Thant

**U Thant**
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**Early Life and Education**

Sithu U Thant was born on January 22, 1909, in Pantanaw, Irawadi Division, Burma (now Myanmar). He lost his father at a young age and lived with his three brothers in economic hardship. After completing his school education, he initially worked in the school service.

**Career**

Thant studied history at university, where he met the future President U Nu, who included him in his political entourage. After Burma's independence was recognized in 1948, Thant held various positions:

* Minister of Information (1949-1953)
* Secretary to Prime Minister U Nu (1953-1957)
* Permanent Representative of Burma to the United Nations (1957)

**United Nations**

In 1961, Thant became the interim successor to Dag Hammarskjöld as Secretary-General of the United Nations. He was confirmed for a four-year term in November 1962 and served two terms from 1961 to 1971.

During his tenure, Thant played a key role in resolving international conflicts, including:

* The Cuban crisis
* The civil war in Cyprus
* The Vietnam War
* The Middle East conflict

He was the first person to occupy the secretariat from an Asian country and the first from a developing country. Before devoting himself to diplomacy, Thant worked as a professor in his hometown with a degree from the University of Yangon.

**Personal Life**

Thant passed away on November 25, 1974, in New York City, USA.