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Dean of UN NGOs Celebrates 45 Years of Promoting Peace Among Non-Profits: Meet Global Leader and Luminary, Richard Jordan
This December, we feature the luminaries, the light bearers, the peace-makers, and those who give us hope as we approach this season of short days and long, dark nights. Join us to meet the people and organizations who can unify, uplift, and inspire you this holiday season and in the year ahead.
Tell us about your personal journey.
Richard Jordan’s personal journey was shaped early by a series of moments that quietly set his direction. As a child, his father, Tom gave him a vinyl record of great speeches. One stood out above all others: Lou Gehrig’s farewell at Yankee Stadium, where The Iron Horse declared that he considered himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” For a seven-year-old, the message landed deeply. Aim for records that last. Be grateful to the team that stands with you.
What pivotal experiences shaped your current path?
Long before COVID, Richard made the United Nations his daily rhythm. Arriving at 8 a.m. and leaving at 6 p.m., day after day. Over more than 9,200 days, he attended roughly 30,000 meetings and spoke with thousands of people. The UN was not an abstract idea. It was a lived practice.
That future had been hinted at much earlier. In third grade, Richard’s teacher, Mrs. McGary, assigned the class a simple project: make a poster about a diplomat. Richard chose Adlai Stevenson, then U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The UN building, seen from afar, looked like a box marked with horizontal and vertical lines. Stick-figure master Richard thought, "I can draw that." He placed a photo of Ambassador Stevenson in the center and labeled the poster, “This is what diplomacy is.”
What are the most valuable lessons you've learned through your work?
That worldview never faded. Richard describes constantly examining his own cosmovision of the universe through earthbound terms: multilateralism, multiculturalism, multilingualism, and optimism. This perspective, rooted in humility, cooperation, and possibility, guides him every day, except for Sunday.
What drives your desire to contribute and make a difference?
For the second year in a row, Richard has been appointed a Registered Nominator of candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize. The prize recognizes those who serve as a beacon of hope to humanity. Not a bad outcome for a kid from Flushing, New York City, and driven by a lifelong belief that peace is built through relationships, dialogue, and sustained commitment.
What are your highest hopes for democracy to unite, uplift, and inspire?
Through the World Harmony Foundation, an organization he represents, this philosophy is put into practice. What began as a peace research institute now reaches into digital education and youth leadership, always with an intergenerational lens. Youth bring urgency and activism. Elders bring memory and space-holding. Together, they meet in the work of peace by modeling a democracy that is inclusive, collaborative, and rooted in shared humanity.
How can GlobalMindED support leaders like yourself in achieving your goals and advancing your aspirations?
GlobalMindED has long resonated with Richard, particularly through Carol Carter’s (GlobalMindED's Founder & CEO) leadership and her ability to elevate young champions who are true pioneers. What draws him is not just storytelling and sharing but story mapping, the work of asking how we keep the boat steady while charting a course toward new territory each day. This approach mirrors his own commitment to building sustainable, values-driven pathways for the next generation of global leaders.
Find more information about World Harmony Foundation and Richard Jordan:
You can meet Richard Jordan June 10-12 at the GlobalMindED 2026 Conference at his session with renowned experts: "Beacons of Peace: Building International Bridges Through the UN, the Olympic Committee, and the Nobel Family of Organizations."
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