Witness Seminar - The heartbeat of a modern Commonwealth? The Commonwealth Secretariat 1965-2013

Witness Seminar – The heartbeat of a modern Commonwealth? The Commonwealth Secretariat 1965-2013

This witness seminar examined the role of the Commonwealth Secretariat in Commonwealth Affairs. It took place on June 24, 2013, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London.

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Programme

Session 1 – The Office of the Secretary General

Session 2 – Political affairs, Legal affairs, Democracy and Human Rights

Session 3 – Sustainable Development

Session 4 – Education and Health

Session 5 – The Commonwealth and Communication

Participants: (click here for participant biographies)

AB: Amitav Banerji / AE: Antony Ellman / EL: Edwin Laurent / GB: Gurudas Bailur / JK: Joel Kibazo / KY: Kayode Samuel / MB: Madhuri Bose / MG: Max Gaylard / MM: Muhammad Muda / MS: Michael Sinclair / PMA: Peter Marshall / PMU: Philip Murphy / PR: Patsy Robertson / PS: Purna Sen / PW: Peter Williams / RB: Richard Bourne / RJ: Richard Jones-Perry / RU: Richard Uku / SC: Stephen Chan / SG: Simon Gimson / SMA: Stephen Matlin / SMO: Stuart Mole / SO: Sue Onslow / VK: Vijay Krishnarayan / VS: Veronica Sutherland

Supporting documents

Definitioner

Richard Bourne

Richard Bourne (b.1940) is a British journalist, writer and human rights advocate who has acted as Deputy Director of the Commonwealth Institute (1983-89), Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (1990-92) and Head of the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit (1999-2005). He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Secretary of the Ramphal Institute, and was a correspondent for The Guardian and deputy editor of the London Evening Standard.

Peter Williams

Dr Peter Williams joined the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1984, serving first as Director of Education and then as Director of the Human Resource Development Division. He later served as Joint Deputy Executive Chair of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth and as Secretary of the Commonwealth Consortium for Education.

Amitav Banerji

Amitav Banerji is a career diplomat from India who became Director of the Political Affairs Division (PAD), Commonwealth Secretariat, in 2009. Previous to this post he had served as Chief of Staff to the Secretary-General, 2000-09, as well as Special Adviser in PAD from 1990 to 2000.

Marlborough House

Marlborough House is a 17^th century mansion in the City of Westminster, central London, which has served as the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat since 1953.

Stephen Chan

Stephen Chan is Professor of International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has an extensive background as an international civil servant, and has been involved in several diplomatic initiatives in Africa, especially in the arena of electoral observation.

Stuart Mole

Stuart Mole is a British political figure who joined the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1984 as Special Assistant to the Secretary-General. He was Director of the Secretary-General’s Office from 1990 to 2000, and Director-General of the Royal Commonwealth Society from 2000 to 2009.

Max Gaylard

Maxwell Gaylard (b. 1946). Australian diplomat. He was Director of Political/International Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London in the 1990s.

Veronica Sutherland

Veronica Sutherland (b. 1939). British diplomat, Commonwealth Deputy General-Secretary (1999-2001).

Patsy Robertson

Patsy Robertson. Jamaican journalist and diplomat. Successively Commonwealth Press Officer, Director of Information, and official Commonwealth spokesperson (1983-1994).

Peter Marshall

Peter Marshall (b. 1946). British diplomat, Deputy Secretary General (Economic & Social) Commonwealth Secretariat from 1983 to 1989.

Commonwealth Secretariat

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the principal inter-governmental body of the Commonwealth, responsible for promoting cooperation between members. Founded in 1965.

CHOGM

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Every two years Commonwealth heads of government meet to discuss global and Commonwealth issues, with the aim of promoting common initiatives.

Witness Seminar – The heartbeat of a modern Commonwealth? The Commonwealth Secretariat 1965-2013

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