Graça Machel and Louise Arbour join the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation
The Kofi Annan Foundation is pleased to announce that Graça Machel, an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights and first Education Minister of Mozambique, and Louise Arbour, a Canadian jurist and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have joined the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation
Member of the board Nane Annan said: “I am delighted to be joined by two powerful and fearless women who have advocated for all Kofi Annan and the Foundation have stood for: Human rights, dignity, and giving a voice to the voiceless.”
“I am delighted to welcome two of the world’s most prominent advocates for human rights, justice and sustainable development. They are giving a voice to the voiceless, the disenfranchised and the oppressed”, said Alan Doss, President of the Kofi Annan Foundation. “Their counsel will be invaluable as the Kofi Annan Foundation presses on with its quest towards a fairer, more peaceful world.
I am delighted to be joined by two powerful and fearless women who have advocated for all Kofi Annan and the Foundation have stood for: human rights, dignity, and giving a voice to the voiceless.
– Nane Annan
“Kofi Annan was a champion of democracy, human rights and sustainable development. His work continues through the Kofi Annan Foundation. I am very pleased therefore to honour Kofi Annan’s memory and join the board of the Foundation”, said Graça Machel.
Louise Arbour said: “It is with great pleasure that I have accepted the honour to be part of the Board of the Kofi Annan Foundation. The Kofi Annan Foundation has a special place in the international arena for its ability to mobilise leadership and political will to overcome threats to peace, development and human rights”.
About Graça Machel
Graça Machel is a leading social and political activist as well as a renowned international advocate for women’s and children’s rights, having fought for decades for increased literacy and access to education and greater assistance for community development. She was the first Education Minister of Mozambique.
She served on the United Nations High-Level Panel on the post-2015 development agenda. Mrs Machel currently serves as the deputy chair of the Elders, an independent non-profit organisation
About Louise Arbour
Ms Arbour has a long and distinguished career in international affairs. She previously served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
She is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal for Ontario. From 2009 to 2014, Ms Arbour was President and CEO of the International Crisis Group. She currently serves as the United Nations secretary general’s Special Representative for International Migration.
Get to know the new Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation Board
