Join us for the latest in the series of the Vice-Chancellor’s Lectures on Globalisation, Sustainability and the Power of Ideas. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, has kindly agreed to join us to deliver this edition of the lecture.
About Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was elected WHO Director-General for a five-year term by WHO Member States at the Seventieth World Health Assembly in May 2017. In doing so, he was the first WHO Director-General elected from among multiple candidates by the World Health Assembly, and was the first person from the WHO African Region to head the world’s leading public health agency. Born in the Eritrean city of Asmara, Dr Tedros graduated from the University of Asmara with a Bachelor of Biology, before earning a Master of Science (MSc) in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London, a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Community Health from the University of Nottingham and an Honorary Fellowship from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Dr Tedros has also received multiple national and institutional recognitions, including becoming the first non-American to be awarded the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award in 2011 in recognition of his contributions to public health; the Decoration of the Order of Serbian Flag in 2016; the Danida Alumni Prize of Denmark’s Danida Fellowship Centre in 2017; being made a Grande Officier of the National Order of Benin (l’Ordre National de Benin) in 2018; the L'Ordre national du Lion of Senegal in 2018; the Oswaldo Cruz Medal of Merit, in 2018, in recognition of his services to public health in Brazil; the Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of Saint Agatha from San Marino in 2019; the Bridge Maker Award of the 14th August Committee of Norway in 2020; 2020 Human Rights Award of the Spanish Law Bar (Consejo General de la Abogacía Español); one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2020; the African of the Year Award for 2020 of the African Leadership Magazine; and Global Health Leader Award presented by Amref Health Africa in 2021.
About the Vice-Chancellor's Lecture Series
Since 2019, the University of Cambridge has hosted a lecture series on Globalisation, Sustainability and the Power of Ideas. Its aim is to bring together international students, researchers and the wider community to consider emerging international policy, law and scientific trends and innovative solutions related to sustainability and globalisation, and to debate how such ideas emerge, are shared, and can change the world.
The lecture series is driven by the urgency to inspire and innovate the world’s best and brightest minds – current and future generations of leaders, teachers and researchers – to help find ways to support globalisation that is open, inclusive and sustainable. Speakers will address such questions as: What are the key challenges of globalisation for sustainability? What are the most innovative and exciting new ideas, tools and strategies in the global public interest? What is needed, for global public health in the context of pandemic preparedness, response and recovery, in today’s changing society, market and environment? How to build educational opportunities, research, practice and careers that make a contribution?