Bob Ledogar brought a lightness of being and utter dependability to my years in New York during the heady aftermath of the World Summit for Children. I arrived from the Middle East and North Africa Region to take on the role of Director of Planning and Coordination for UNICEF, new to UN Headquarters and an outsider.
Bob was there to welcome and reassure me. He walked lightly, spoke quietly and was always on hand with wise counsel. Bob brought these qualities to the most difficult policy questions and to the most sensitive personnel problems. Our shared dedication to UNICEF's mission and our experience in working with the poor in very different regions of the world created an immediate bond that made everything we did together easy.
Bob was a gentle, modest man of few words, a straight arrow who cut to the chase of any subject when asked. He was invaluable to UNICEF with his capacity to read widely, listen intensely and write clearly.
I remember fondly the moments we both turned to music and rhythm with our staff to defuse office tensions and discovered new joys to share together.
Would that we had had more times like those together.
Bob was there to welcome and reassure me. He walked lightly, spoke quietly and was always on hand with wise counsel. Bob brought these qualities to the most difficult policy questions and to the most sensitive personnel problems. Our shared dedication to UNICEF's mission and our experience in working with the poor in very different regions of the world created an immediate bond that made everything we did together easy.
Bob was a gentle, modest man of few words, a straight arrow who cut to the chase of any subject when asked. He was invaluable to UNICEF with his capacity to read widely, listen intensely and write clearly.
I remember fondly the moments we both turned to music and rhythm with our staff to defuse office tensions and discovered new joys to share together.
Would that we had had more times like those together.
Leila
That’s Bob! What a lovely tribute!
ReplyDeleteDear Leila,
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful tribute captures the essence of Bob Ledogar.
May his gentle soul rest in eternal peace and continue to inspire us!
Thank you.
Thank you Leila for this heartwarming tribute to our dearly departed colleague Bob. To paraphrase your last sentence: would that we have had more fellow workers like Bob Ledogar !:
ReplyDelete