Today, the U.N. General Assembly voted unanimously to elect Ban Ki-moon, 67, for a second five-year term as secretary-general. The former South Korean foreign minister, who received the endorsement of all the regional groups in the U.N., was praised for raising the “role and visibility” of the U.N. during his term and promised to continue his work as a “bridge-builder,” MSNBC reports. Since Ban first took office in 2007, his efforts to promote sustainable development, nuclear disarmament, and women’s issues have earned him the support of the assembly. Ban’s second term officially begins on January 1.

Born in Korea on June 14, 1944, Ban studied at Seoul National University and later went on to receive his Master’s in public administration from Harvard University. In his biography on the U.N. website, Ban notes that he was led to pursue a career in public service largely due to his growing up in a time of war, and the way the U.N. helped re-build his country in its aftermath.

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