2017 Annual Lecture - Dr. Ivan Šimonović

Dr. Ivan Šimonović, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

R2P: Operationalisation or Marginalisation?

Photo Courtesy of Robin May

On November 30th 2017, we were delighted to have Dr. Ivan Šimonović, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), at the University of Leeds, to deliver our Centre’s Second Annual Lecture.

The UN Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on R2P first met with PhD students working on R2P-related topics, in the School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS). Following a very engaging meeting, Dr. Šimonović delivered the ECR2P Second Annual lecture to a wider audience from across our University, which also included participants coming from across the UK to Leeds for this sold-out event.

Photo Courtesy of Robin May

The introductory remarks were delivered by Dr Cristina Stefan, who invited Dr. Šimonović to his first visit to the University of Leeds. The Dean of the Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law, Professor Jeremy Higham welcomed Dr. Šimonović to the University and highlighted how important partnerships and collaborations such as the one ECR2P has with the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the R2P are to our Faculty.

Photos Courtesy of Robin May

The title of the ECR2P Second Annual Lecture was “Responsibility to Protect: Operationalisation or Marginalisation?” This very informative lecture focused on a pragmatic approach to operationalising the R2P framework and to ensuring accountability for prevention, and it also raised provocative questions. A recording of the lecture is available below.

Recording Courtesy of First Frame Productions 

A very engaging Q&A session followed Dr Šimonović’s lecture, with a range of questions from the audience that triggered very insightful responses from our Distinguished Guest Speaker.

Photo Courtesy of Robin May