World understanding and peace will be the topic of a free public lecture held by International House at The University of Queensland on the eve of the United Nations International Day of Peace.
Richard Woolcott, AC, will discuss Whatever Happened to Peace and Understanding — Can We Rekindle the Aspirations? on Friday, September 20, at 7.00 pm in Ivor Cribb Hall, International House, 5 Rock Street, St Lucia campus.
The annual World Understanding and Peace Public Lecture has been held by International House, a University of Queensland residential college, since 1967.
Covering a range of globally topical issues, the lectures aim to promote awareness of world situations and has previously included speakers such as the current Governor-General Dr Peter Hollingworth and the Honourable Justice Michael Kirby, AC.
Mr Woolcott was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1988-1992), an Australian Ambassador to the United Nations (1982-1988) and an Australian representative on the Security Council (1985-1986).
He was Chair of the Official Establishment Trust (1992-1999), the Australia Indonesia Institute (1992-1998), a member of the Advisory Panel for the first Government White Paper on Foreign and Trade Policy, published in 1997, and a member of the Austrade Board (1989-1992).
In 1989 he was appointed as former Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s Special Envoy to develop the Asia Pacific Regional Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) concept and also carried out Special Envoy roles for Prime Ministers Harold Holt, Gough Whitlam and John Howard.
Made an Officer of Australia in 1985 and a Companion in the Order in 1993, he was awarded the Bintang Mahaputra Utama by the Indonesian government in 2002.
His book on fifty years in diplomacy (1961-2001) will be published by Harper Collins in March next year.
The University of Queensland’s International House was founded in 1965 and since then has welcomed nearly 4,000 students from more than 90 countries including Australia.
The College is a co-educational facility and is affiliated with Rotary International. It shares a common set of ideals and aspirations with more than 15 International Houses around the world.
For further information regarding the public lecture, contact June Kant at International House on telephone 07 3721 2471.
Media: For further information, contact June Kant at International House (telephone 07 3721 2471, email: ihpa@uq.edu.au) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619 or email: communications@uq.edu.au).
