The Institute for Global Law and Policy (IGLP) at Harvard Law School recently welcomed Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste José Manuel Ramos-Horta to the IGLP Honorary Council.
As a member of the Honorary Council, Mr. Ramos-Horta will advise the IGLP, strengthen its ability to mentor young scholars, and join in discussions with doctoral and graduate students working in the fields of economic development, social justice and global political economy.
Said HLS Professor and IGLP Faculty Director David Kennedy: “Ramos-Horta’s appointment is representative of the Institute’s strong commitment to engage leading public officials and policy practitioners thinking about global governance, social justice and economic policy in new ways. His expertise in the areas of diplomacy, democracy, human rights, mediation, and peace initiatives will enhance the Institute’s research into the ways in which injustice can be reproduced and what can be done in response. We are honored to have such a prominent and distinguished individual join our Honorary Council.”
Ramos-Horta, who served as the president of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste from 2007 to 2012, is the country’s fourth president since its unilateral proclamation of independence from Portugal in 1975 and the second since its restoration of independence from Indonesia in 2002, after 24 years of occupation from 1975 to 1999. He was also the country’s former prime minister and a founder and former member of the Revolutionary Front for an independent East Timor. He jointly received the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Ximenes Belo for his efforts to lead Timor-Leste toward freedom.
During his years in exile, Ramos-Horta studied public international law at The Hague Academy of International Law and at Antioch University, where he received an M.A. in peace studies. He was trained in human rights law at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, and has received numerous honorary doctorate degrees from universities in Brazil, the United States, Australia, Portugal and Timor-Leste. He is also a founding member of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council.
IGLP is a collaborative faculty effort to nurture innovative approaches to global political economy, governance and policy. Founded in 2009, the institute is dedicated to bringing new voices into the discussion of global regulation and policy, recognizing that legal and institutional architectures remain manifestly ill-equipped to address the most urgent global challenges. Its signature initiatives are intensive 10-day workshops for young scholars and policy professionals from around the world that meet each June at Harvard and each January in Doha. For more information, visit http://www.iglp.law.harvard.edu.