Speakers Peter van Uhm: General
General Peter van Uhm is the Chief of the Netherlands Defence staff.
Why you should listen to him:
General Petrus J.M. "Peter" van Uhm is a four-star general in the Royal Netherlands Army and the current Chief of the Netherlands Defence Staff. He has had an outstanding carrer over four decades in the Dutch military.
In the Netherlands, he is know from his personal tragedy. On 18 April 2008, one day after Van Uhm was appointed Chief Defence Staff, his son First Lieutenant Dennis van Uhm was killed in a roadside bombing in Uruzgan. Van Uhm’s incredibly dignified and human response has astounded many.
Quotes by Peter van Uhm
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“That is why I took up the gun — not to shoot, not to kill, not to destroy, but to stop those who would do evil, to protect the vulnerable, to defend democratic values, to stand up for the freedom we have to talk … about how we can make the world a better place.”
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“I hope that one day armies can be disbanded and humans will find a way of living together without violence and oppression. But until that day comes, we will have to make ideals and human failure meet somewhere in the middle.”
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“Until the day comes when we can do away with the gun, I hope we all agree that peace and stability do not come free of charge.”
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Peter van Uhm: Why I chose a gun
- 17:10 Posted: Jan 2012
Peter van Uhm on the Web
Related Speakers
Conferences
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- TEDxAmsterdam