About The Spirit of Dag
Purpose and Vision
The Spirit of Dag is an independent, Switzerland based initiative dedicated to reviving the moral courage and practical relevance of the United Nations. It encourages practical, principled improvements within the UN Charter framework, helping the Organization act with unity, conscience, and purpose when facing complex global challenges.
Inspired by the integrity and quiet strength of former Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld, this platform promotes constructive dialogue, ethical leadership, and renewed confidence in multilateral cooperation. It invites diplomats, citizens, and institutions to explore The Five Actions – practical, Charter compliant steps that strengthen peace, accountability, and human dignity without requiring Charter amendment.
At its heart, The Spirit of Dag seeks to rekindle the founding promise of the United Nations: that international cooperation must serve not the interests of the powerful, but the needs of humanity.
Founder’s Note
The Spirit of Dag was founded by Thomas Metzler, a Swiss IT and governance professional with executive experience across Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East. His background spans information technology leadership, public sector digital transformation, aviation systems, and international advisory work – disciplines that share a core principle: complex systems work best when built on trust, cooperation, and transparency.
Thomas is also a certified United Nations Staff Officer with experience in mediation and mentoring in post conflict contexts. This blend of technical, diplomatic, and human centered work has shaped a conviction that institutions, like systems, must be designed not only to function, but to serve humanity with integrity.
None of these domains operate in isolation. All depend on collaboration across borders and on international standards and frameworks that make cooperation possible. Just as in aviation, where every passenger expects safety and fairness, the United Nations system should uphold the same universal standards of dignity, protection, and justice for all.
Method and Neutrality
The Spirit of Dag does not judge countries. It provides structured and transparent ways to understand how nations respond to existing international commitments, including mediation efforts, treaty compliance, veto restraint, and accountability mechanisms.
It does not take sides. It enables clarity, dialogue, and responsible decision making.
The United Nations can be seen as a system of systems – a broad architecture of institutions, agencies, and frameworks, each with its own mandate and mechanisms. Yet, like all complex systems, it must ultimately function as one – coherent, responsive, and guided by shared purpose. That is the challenge today and beyond: aligning autonomous elements so that, together, they deliver what humanity needs most – peace, accountability, and hope.
From the Preamble to the United Nations Charter
“We the peoples of the United Nations, determined…”
- to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind,
- to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
- to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained,
- to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
“And for these Ends…”
- to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours,
- to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security,
- to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest,
- to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.
Nowhere in these words is there mention of nationality, race, sex, age, wealth, or power. The Charter speaks clearly and profoundly: We the peoples of the United Nations.
Dag Hammarskjöld, a fellow countryman, was always a beacon of integrity and restraint. Challenges such as conflict over resources, climate pressure, and growing inequality test the resilience of institutions and the moral foundations of cooperation. The Spirit of Dag explores how conscience, structure, and responsible leadership can guide action more effectively and more humanely.
Thomas brings a systems thinking approach to diplomacy – combining strategic foresight, ethical governance, and operational precision. His vision for The Spirit of Dag is to make moral courage operational: to turn principles into mechanisms that help the United Nations act swiftly, transparently, and justly when humanity most depends on it.
Nordic Perspectives
Across Nordic and Swiss diplomatic traditions runs a shared belief: that peace is not an abstract ideal, but a discipline built on cooperation, integrity, and service to humanity.
Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland have long upheld this principle. From Nordic peace work and humanitarian initiatives to Swiss mediation and the guardianship of international law, these nations have shown how moral influence can be exercised through competence and trust.
This tradition holds that fairness, transparency, and respect for human dignity are not sentimental ideas, but foundations of sustainable peace. It teaches that realism can coexist with compassion, sovereignty with solidarity, and national interest with shared responsibility.
The Spirit of Dag draws deeply from this tradition. It reflects practical idealism and the belief that neutrality can be a form of active responsibility rooted in dialogue, international law, and an unwavering commitment to peace.
In a world again divided, this initiative seeks renewal of that spirit, standing where Dag Hammarskjöld once stood – between cynicism and conscience, between words and action.
Founder’s Reflection
“Many people say that someone should do something. One day, one realizes – I am someone. I have agency. I can act. If we each move forward, even a little, and if we work together – well, then there is nothing we cannot achieve. I truly believe this to be a universal truth.”
Thomas Metzler, Founder of The Spirit of Dag
Every enduring institution began with a question. This one begins with: how should nations act when humanity depends on it?
Explore The Five Actions