Don McKinnon on canvas [1]
Thursday, January 10, 2008 - 12:27. Updated on Friday, June 13, 2014 - 17:30.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark praised the Secretary-General's stewardship of the Commonwealth, saying that his eight years at the helm has capped his many years of distinction in public life in New Zealand. This includes seven years as Deputy Prime Minister, nine as Foreign Minister and 21 years as a Member of Parliament.
"As a founding member of the Commonwealth, New Zealand takes particular pride in Don McKinnon having headed the organisation for eight years," said Ms Clark at the unveiling of Mr McKinnon's portrait at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK, on 7 January 2008.
"The significance of the role Don has played at home and abroad was recognised last week in the New Zealand honours list, where it was announced that Don has become a member of the Order of New Zealand - an order limited to 20 leading citizens."
She expressed the New Zealand government's appreciation of the role Mr McKinnon has played as Commonwealth Secretary-General, where he has paid particular attention to the concerns of small developing nations.
She said Mr McKinnon made his mark when he was New Zealand's Foreign Minister with "his determination to bring peace to the troubled island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, which had experienced years of conflict. Don took the initiative in the 1990s to get the peace process started. During Don's tenure at the Commonwealth Secretariat, he has been called on many times to help find a way forward for troubled nations across the Pacific, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia."
She also noted that Mr McKinnon has succeeded in procuring an increase in funding for the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Assistance, and ensured that the association's voice has been heard in the World Trade Organization's Doha Round on behalf of the least developed nations.
The oil portrait of Mr McKinnon, measuring 1.5 x 2 metres, was painted by Akaroa-born and Auckland-based artist, Richard McWhennell. The 55-year old portraitist worked on the painting between April and June 2006, depicting the New Zealand statesman in a favourite corner of his office in Marlborough House, headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
This portrait is one of two commissioned for display at the Commonwealth Secretariat and at a national institution in New Zealand. It was funded by the Government of New Zealand and prominent New Zealanders in the UK.
"It is an honour for New Zealand to have a major work by a New Zealand artist permanently exhibited here at Marlborough House," said Ms Clark.
The portrait of Mr McKinnon, who has been Commonwealth Secretary-General since 2000, is hung in the main conference room at Marlborough House, together with the portraits of his predecessors, Arnold Smith of Canada (1965 - 1975), Sir Shridath Ramphal of Guyana (1975 - 1990) and Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria (1990-2000). By convention, the country of which the Secretary-General is a national has been responsible for commissioning the portrait. Commonwealth, 07/01/08.