Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series

"International Strides for Inclusive Peacebuilding"

Priscilla Hayner and Lt. General Joseph Olorungbon Owonibi 

7 - 8:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice

Priscilla Hayner co-founded the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), where she is director of the Peace and Justice Program and the Liberia Program. She has recently undertaken in-depth research into past peace negotiations and how justice issues are handled therein, with publications forthcoming. Hayner is an expert on truth commissions around the world and has written widely on the subject of official truth-seeking in political transitions. She is the author of Unspeakable Truths, published in 2001, which explores the work of more than 20 truth commissions worldwide. Hayner has appeared on numerous broadcasts, including BBC North Ireland Radio, BBC World Service, NPR, SABC in South Africa, and STAR Radio and UNMIL Radio in Liberia. Prior to founding the ICTJ, she was a consultant at the Ford Foundation, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other organizations. Hayner was previously a program officer on international human rights and world security for the Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation in New York. She holds degrees from Earlham College and the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

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Lt. Gen. Joseph Olorungbon Owonibi of Nigeria was appointed force commander of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in 2005, commanding over 14,000 troops from 49 countries in the U.N. peacekeeping mission. From 2003 to 2005, Lt. Gen. Owonibi had served as the deputy force commander and chief military observer of UNMIL. Prior to that, he served in several high-level national and international positions, including coordinator of the Nigerian Army Training Group, which undertook the reorganization and training of the Gambian National Army from 1992 to 1994, and commander of the First Reconnaissance Company in support of the Nigerian battalion within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).  Lt. Gen. Owonibi has served with the Nigerian Army since 1971. He holds a Master of Science in strategic studies from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and diplomas in public administration from the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria and the University of Kentucky. He is a graduate of the National War College in Abuja.

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