Former president of East Timor Mr Jose Ramos-Horta was in Singapore recently for a lecture “Ethical Leadership: Challenges for Societal Leaders” organised by the Institute for Societal Leadership at SMU. The United Nations senior diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been involved with work at the UN, most recently chairing a high level independent panel to review UN peace and security operations. Mr Ramos-Horta shared his insights and views on various topics, including the role of the UN in maintaining peace in the world, the challenges facing the UN, as well as the the situation in the Middle East, most notably the influx of refugees into Europe and the social, political and security implications for the Europeans. He also discussed the current state of East Timor’s economy, addressing issues on unemployment, corruption, and the diversification of the country’s economy. The article also listed some of the major milestones in Mr Ramos-Horta’s life, including his biggest challenges and achievements as President of East Timor.