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Ban Ki-moon writes letter remembering Mozambican girl who was "SG for a day"

Xinhua, March 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, wrote a letter to the family of a young Mozambican woman, Raquelina Langa who passed away on Friday, saying that despite of the fact that she had a short life, her "legacy will be long," according to the UN website on Monday.

Langa, who was known as the defender of the rights for young people died of the prolonged disease at the age of 20 in the Mozambican capital, Maputo.

She asked Ban Ki-moon if "a girl like her could one day becone Secretary-General of the UN" during his visit to her school in 2013.

In a letter to her family the Secretary-General has expressed his deep personal condolences at her passing, saying that "while her life was short her legacy will be long."

For Ban, Langa was "more than a bright individual for Mozambique, she was the embodiment of why the world needs to invest in the health, well-being, and future of young women everywhere."

On August 12, 2014, Ban invited Langa to visit the United Nations to celebrate International Youth Day as his special guest for the day.

The girl toured several departments of the UN body in New York, where she and her teacher spent more time, speaking about her future and that of young girls in Mozambique.

"I hope to learn to be able to share with my colleagues and to share with my brothers, uncles and grandparents," said Langa in New York, in an interview to UN Radio.

According to UN Radio, Ban Ki-Moon said he was inspired by Raquelina Langa to appeal to women to "dream big." Enditem