Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland and current United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Change, will speak at CSU on Monday, Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lory Student Center Grand Ballroom. She will present “Climate Justice and the Right to Health,” a discussion about the connection between climate justice, human rights and development.
For decades, Robinson has worked tirelessly an advocate to secure global justice for those people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change who are usually forgotten – the poor, disempowered and marginalized across the world.
The event is free and open to the public, but attendees must reserve tickets through CSUTix.com. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
One of the Elders
Mary Robinson served as president of the Republic of Ireland from 1990 to 1997 and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002. She is now the president of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice and a member of the Elders, a group of world leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, who contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackling some of the world’s toughest problems with the goal of making the world a better place.
Robinson is also the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. In July 2014, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Robinson as his Special Envoy for Climate Change to mobilize political will and action ahead of the 2014 Climate Summit.
Hero and Icon
Robinson has been named a “Hero and Icon” as one of Time magazine’s 2005 top 100 men and women, whose “power, talent, or moral example is transforming the world.” As an academic, legislator and barrister, she has always sought to use law as an instrument for social change, arguing landmark cases before the European Court of Human Rights as well as in the Irish courts and the European Court in Luxembourg.
The event is organized by the Office of International Programs, with substantial support from The Ripple Effect, RamEvents, First National Bank, the Office of the President, Apartment Life, Residence Life, and Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SliCE).
