Former president of Ireland, UN commissioner, to speak at LSSU

It's not every day the U.P. gets to host someone as accomplished as Mary Robinson, but Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie will have that honor next week.

Robinson, the former president of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, will speak at 8:15 p.m. on April 9 in the LSSU Arts Center. She's the keynote speaker for the Arrowhead Model United Nations 2011 conference, which will be bringing more than 300 attendees from colleges in five states to the campus.

Robinson was elected the first female president of Ireland in 1990, which she held until 1997. After that, she took on the role of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and worked on global human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, until 2002.

"Mary Robinson is one of the most distinguished speakers to appear in Sault Ste. Marie," says Gary Johnson, a professor of political science at LSSU. "We were delighted that she accepted our invitation. Our students are excited, and we think the entire community will be pleased."

Her achievements have continued to mount in recent years, including helping to found and chairing the Council of Women World Leaders; founding Realizing Rights: The Ethical Global Initiative; serving as VP of the Club of Madrid, an international organization promoting democracy; serving as honorary president of Oxfam International, and serving on boards including the Vaccine Fund, the Global Commission on Migration, the Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights, and the International Commission of Jurists.

Recently, Robinson became a member of The Elders, which is an international group of leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The group applies their combined wisdom, leadership and integrity to some of the world's most intractable problems.

She's also been the recipient of the Ambassador of Conscience award from Amnesty International in 2004, and of the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Tickets to hear Robinson speak are limited in quantity, but free thanks to grants from the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the LSSU Issues and Intellect and Cultural Affairs committees, and the LSSU King-Chavez-Parks Fund.

Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Gary Johnson, Lake Superior State University