BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE VICTIMS' TRUST FUND: Biographies
Provided by the International Criminal Court
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan was
elected to serve as the representative for the Asian Region on the Board. As
First Lady, Queen Rania's activities encompass issues of national and
international concern, such as the environment, youth development and human
rights. Internationally, she serves on the Board of Directors of The Vaccine
Fund, The World Economic Forum, The International Youth Foundation and The
Foundation for International Community Assistance. In Jordan, Queen Rania chairs
the Royal Commission on Human Rights. In addition, she has established the first
center in the Arab world dedicated to combating child abuse and has actively
promoted educational reform and IT learning.
His Excellency Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez from Costa Rica
was elected to serve as the representative of the Latin American and Caribbean
Region on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims of the
International Criminal Court. Despite the fact that he has closely been involved
in the work, he could unfortunately not attend the meetings of this week in
person due to the fact that his presence was urgently required in his home
country Costa Rica. Dr. Arias Sánchez won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts
to end the cycle of violence in Central America. He earned a doctorate in
political science at the University of Essex and, following the adoption of what
is widely known as the "Arias Peace Plan," earned some fifty honorary
doctorate degrees. He is the author of several books about peace and politics,
and founded the Foundation for Peace and Human Progress with the monetary award
from the Nobel Prize.
His Excellency Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki from Poland was
elected to serve as the representative from Eastern Europe on the Board of
Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court. He
was one of the founders of the Solidarity Movement and served as the first Prime
Minister of Poland in the post-communist era. He was the founder and the
chairperson of The Democratic Union which later became the Union for Freedom. He
has served in various positions in the Polish Parliament, including member of
the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee, member of the Parliamentary Defence
Committee, and Chairman of the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee. In the
international arena he has served as a UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of
Human Rights for the Former Yugoslavia. At present he is the Chairman of the
Polish Robert Schuman Foundation. His Excellency has received several prizes and
honorary doctorates in recognition to his activities in the field of human
rights.
Madame Minister Simone Veil from France was elected to
serve as the representative from Western Europe and Other States regional group
on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims of the International
Criminal Court. Madame Veil was elected as first President of the European
Parliament by universal suffrage in 1979 and has served as President of the
Judicial Commission for the European Parliament. In France, she has held
prominent positions with the Ministries of Health and Social Security. She was
appointed as State Minister, Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Urban
Affairs in 1993. As an Auschwitz survivor, she is currently President of the
Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah and she has been a Member of the French
Constitutional Council since 1998. She is widely recognised as a defendant and
campaigner of human rights and particularly of women's rights and has received
honours from governments and organisations in Europe, Africa and the Americas.
His Eminence Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu from South
Africa was elected to serve as the representative of the African Region. He
gained international prominence in 1984 when he was awarded the Nobel Peace
prize for his work toward a democratic and just society without racial
divisions. He continued his work to facilitate South Africa's transition from
Apartheid as Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He holds
numerous honorary doctorates and international awards.
+
TAKE ACTION
|