WINNIPEG, MB – UWinnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor Lloyd Axworthy today delivered the keynote address at the International Conference on Preventing Mass Atrocities: Asian Perspectives on R2P (Responsibility to Protect), in Bangkok, Thailand.
In his remarks, Axworthy spoke about the importance of the R2P concept and called on states and civil societies around the world to champion and advance it, particularly highlighting that there are opportunities for Asia to play a leadership role in this regard.
“R2P needs supporters to protect and advance it,” Axworthy said, “champions that will hold the international community accountable to their commitment to never again stand by and allow Genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity to take place within the borders of a state.”
During his time as Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister from 1996 to 2000, Axworthy devoted much time and energy in the fight against war crimes and other mass atrocities. Canada’s leading work, as well as the efforts of other members of the international community eventually led to the concept of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) which was accepted by world leaders at the 2005 UN World Summit. The principles of R2P declare that it is the responsibility of states to protect their citizens from Genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Where states are unable or unwilling to protect their citizens, that responsibility is transferred to the international community.
The one-day conference was followed by an evening launch event for the new Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. The new Asia-Pacific Centre is associated with the recently-launched Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, housed at the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies of the City University of New York. The Global Centre and its Associated Centres are supported by governments, private donors, and non-governmental organizations including Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group. Canada has contributed $125,000 to the initiative.
Other keynote speakers at the Bangkok conference included: Dr. Francis Deng, Special-Advisor to the Secretary General for the Prevention of Genocide, and Dr. Edward C. Luck, Special-Advisor to the UN Secretary General on the Responsibility to Protect.
Additional information on R2P can be found at http://www.responsibilitytoprotect.org and http://www.globalcentrer2p.org.
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Shawn Coates, Director of Marketing & Communications, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7126, C: 204.230.0202, E: s.coates@uwinnipeg.ca
