KAMLOOPS-UCC hosts a special presentation by Lt.-Gen. (Ret.) Romeo Dallaire next month as part of the university’s President’s Lecture Series, created to allow UCC students to hear and meet figures of global importance, to enhance students’ educational experiences and serve as role models for students across the disciplines, as well as to share with the community the opportunity to hear world-class speakers.
A highly decorated artilleryman, senior executive, human resources generalist, visiting lecturer, and Order of Canada recipient Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire may be best known for his service as the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission to Rwanda. While tribunals continue to discuss the tragedy in Rwanda, Stephen Lewis, Member of the United Nations’ panel of “eminent persons,” declared, “If there is one exemplary human being in all of this, it’s Gen. Dallaire.”
His experiences during the Rwandan crisis, and the failures by humanity to stop the genocide despite timely warnings, are described in his bestselling book, Shake Hands With the Devil, which won both the 2004 Canadian Booksellers Association Author of the Year Award and the Award for Best Nonfiction Book. He has also written many articles on leadership, conflict resolution and humanitarian aid/human rights issues.
Since his retirement, Dallaire has spearheaded the effort to redefine the long-term professional training and development requirements of the Canadian Forces officer corps, and has been the Special Advisor to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). In 2002, he was honoured as the first recipient of the Aegis Trust Award. He has received a Fellowship at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Kennedy School of Government, at Harvard University to pursue his research in conflict resolution.
At a free public lecture to be held Thursday, October 14th at 7:00 pm in the UCC Gymnasium, Lt.-Gen. Dallaire will address the topic, “Canadian Leadership and Humanitarianism.”
Admission to this lecture by a distinguished Canadian is by ticket, obtained free after October 6th at the following on-campus locations: bookie’s or the Cariboo Student Society desk (UCC Campus Activity Centre), or the Student Street info desk (UCC Old Main building) ; or downtown at the Kamloops Museum & Archives (2nd & Seymour); Kamloops Art Gallery (5th & Victoria).
The lecture will be followed by a question and answer period and book signing. Copies of Lt.-Gen. Dallaire’s book will also be available at the event.
