Evans-Sahnoun Lecture for the Responsibility to Protect

For more than fifteen years, the Evans-Sahnoun Lecture has brought together some of the world’s leading diplomats, jurists and human rights advocates to shape international conversations on atrocity prevention. The lecture inspires renewed commitment to protecting populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing while strengthening the implementation of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) worldwide. It also provides a forum for eminent public figures to share their experience in mass atrocity prevention, international diplomacy, justice and human rights.

Established in 2010, the lecture honors Professor the Hon. Gareth Evans, former Australian Foreign Minister, and the late Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun of Algeria for their leadership as co-chairs of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS). Their work helped develop the principle of R2P, which was unanimously endorsed by all UN member states at the 2005 World Summit. The lecture series celebrates their legacy by fostering high-level dialogue on the implementation of R2P and the collective responsibility to protect populations from mass atrocity crimes.

During each lecture, the Global Centre, together with the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations in New York, convenes senior diplomats, UN officials, academics, civil society leaders and practitioners to discuss pressing issues in atrocity prevention, international justice, conflict prevention, mediation, peacebuilding and human rights. These discussions provide a unique opportunity for distinguished global leaders to share insights drawn from decades of experience while encouraging renewed international commitment to preventing atrocities before they occur.

Over the years, the Evans-Sahnoun Lecture has featured some of the world’s foremost experts on international peace and security, including former International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (2021), UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten (2022), former UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng (2023), former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay (2014), former Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson (2016), President José Ramos-Horta (2015), Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire (2012) and many others. Their lectures have addressed topics including accountability and international justice to conflict prevention, gender and atrocity prevention, mediation, diplomacy and strengthening multilateral action.

As the international community confronts an increasingly complex global landscape marked by protracted conflicts, rising authoritarianism and widespread attacks on civilians, the Evans-Sahnoun Lecture continues to serve as an important forum for advancing new approaches to atrocity prevention. By connecting historical lessons with contemporary challenges, the lecture series reinforces the importance of political leadership, international cooperation and early action in ensuring that the promise of R2P remains meaningful in practice.

Keynote Speakers List: