Harvard University has established a permanent professorship in honour of Sweden's former foreign minister Anna Lindh. Researcher and author Samantha Power is the first to be awarded the prestigious position.
The professorship was the idea of S. Allen Counter, amongst others. S. Allen Counter is a professor in medicine at Harvard and has also been a visiting professor at the Karolinska Institute and is the Swedish consul-general for Boston and New England. It is the the first time a professorship has been named after a Swede. Samantha Power is currently working on a book about the UN's reform work. She did not know Anna Lindh personally, but admire her work and the fact that she was a strong supporter of human rights.
Donors funding the post include Ericsson and the Riksbank's jubilee fund. Minister for Foreign Affairs Jan Eliasson was also involved in drumming up support. He is pleased that the post has been awarded to Ms Power. "Power is a world authority and important opinion maker and whatever Harvard does gets publicity all over the world. It sends a message about what Anna Lindh stood for. The professorship is important for the multilateral debate in the USA, if only in a small way," says Mr Eliasson.
Good.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Helena used to work for Anna Lindh during a Swedish Presidency of the EU. Listening to her remember the stateswoman, we were all crying our eyes out.
It is nice to know she is remembered across the pond, too.
Samantha Power is great! Good choice.
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