1961: first non-westerner to head an international organization

In 1961, U Thant (1909 - 1974), then Burma's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former Secretary to the Prime Minister, was elected Secretary-General of the United Nations. He was apparently the first non-Westerner to head any international organization, and served as Secretary-General for 10 years.

Burma is now known as Myanmar, a military dictatorship in southeast Asia that has blocked international aid for survivors of a recent devastating cyclone. (info from Wikipedia, photo from the UN)