The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) will kick off its Signature Lecture Series season with a live-webcast keynote by Dr. James Orbinski on “Humanitarianism and Good Global Governance.” A global audience can watch and participate in the discussion by registering through http://www.cigionline.org/events/humanitarianism-and-good-global-governance.
“Governance is a messy, uncertain business,” the Nobel Peace Prize recipient wrote in 2007. Orbinski, who is an Officer of the Order of Canada and recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross, has spent much of his career in the field as a physician. His discussion will look at global governance structures and humanitarianism’s impact in shaping the world.
Orbinski worked with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in numerous countries, including Zaire in 1996-97 during the refugee crisis. He was in Somalia during the civil war of 1992-93, and was in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. In 1999, he launched MSF’s Access to Essential Medicines Campaign and in the same year accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of MSF for its pioneering approach to medical humanitarianism.
In addition to having led MSF, Orbinski is the author of An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action In The Twenty-first Century and is the subject of the feature film Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma. Orbinski is a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and co-founder of Dignitas International.
Following his address, Orbinski will be joined in conversation on stage by Dr. David Welch, director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Orbinski received his MD degree in 1990 and MA in International Relations in 1998, and is also board chair of War Child Canada.
For more information on Orbinski and to RSVP for the event, please visit: http://www.cigionline.org/events/humanitarianism-and-good-global-governance. Members of the media are welcome to attend by registering in advance with [email protected].
Event:
CIGI Signature Lecture with Dr. James Orbinski – “Humanitarianism and Good Global Governance”
Date:
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Time:
7:00-9 p.m.
Location:
The Centre for International Governance Innovation
57 Erb St. West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Dias, Communications Specialist, CIGI
Tel: 519.885.2444, ext. 238, Email: [email protected]
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, nonpartisan think tank on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI’s interdisciplinary work includes collaboration with policy, business and academic communities around the world. CIGI was founded in 2001 by Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM (Research In Motion), and collaborates with and gratefully acknowledges support from a number of strategic partners, in particular the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. For more information, please visit www.cigionline.org.
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