The Return of Ideology: the challenge of our time? Briefing with Terje Rød-Larsen, President of the International Peace Institute

The Return of Ideology:  the challenge of our time? Briefing with Terje Rød-Larsen, President of the International Peace Institute. 

Caabu would be delighted to invite Members for a briefing with Terje Rød-Larsen, Norwegian politican and diplomat, and President of the International Peace Institute. 

This event is for Caabu members only. If you're not already a member and would like to sign up as a Caabu member to attend this event, you can do so here.

He will speak about the re-emergence of political idealism and ideology in the form of groups such as ISIS and what it means about tackling these kind of groups, in his capacity as President of the International Peace Institute. 

Please email Joseph Willits (willitsj@caabu.org) to confirm your attendance. 

When: Tuesday 16 June, 12:30pm 
Where: Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, Houses of Parliament.

Chair: David Jones MP 

About the speaker:

Terje Rød-Larsen began his career as an academic, studying history, philosophy, public administration and sociology. He taught Sociology, Political Science and Philosophy at the Universities of Bergen and Oslo, before establishing the Fafo Institute for Applies Sciences in Oslo in 1981.

As Director of Fafo, he initiated a research project into the living conditions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  The relationships with both Palestinians and Israelis that he established during the period of preparing and implementing this project led to a request by the PLO in 1992 that he help establish a secret channel for negotiations between the PLO and the Government of Israel.  Those negotiations concluded with the Oslo Accords and the signing of the Declaration of Principles at the White House on 13 September 1993.

In 1993, Mr. Rød-Larsen was appointed Ambassador and Special Adviser for the Middle East Peace process to the Norwegian Foreign Minister.  In mid-1994, he was appointed United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Special Co-ordinator for Gaza and the West Bank. In 1996, he was appointed Norwegian Cabinet Minister for Planning and Co-operation.

In 1999, he moved back to the UN as Special Co-coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority at the level of Under-Secretary General, a post he held until December 2004. In this capacity he negotiated the Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000 and established the UN line of withdrawal, the "Blue Line".

On 14 December 2004, he was appointed by the Secretary-General as his Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559, on Lebanon and Syria. In this capacity he negotiated the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon in 2005. He also represented the UN Secretary-General in the ceasefire negotiations during the 2006 war in Lebanon between Hizbullah and Israel.

Terje Rød-Larsen became the President of the International Peace Institute in 2005, a New-York based think-tank across from the United Nations Headquarters dedicated to promoting the prevention and settlement of conflicts between and within states. The UN Secretary-General is the honorary chair of the board of the International Peace Institute. Concurrently, Terje Rød-Larsen is a UN Under-Secretary-General. He serves as a Special Envoy to the Secretary-General and Senior Adviser on the Middle East.

Terje is an Officer of the Légion d'Honneur (France) and a Commander of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon).

If you would like to attend this meeting please RSVP to Joseph Willits (willitsj@caabu.org).

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