Olara A. Otunnu

Olara A. Otunnu is the President of the LBL Foundation for Children.

"From 1997 to 2005, Mr. Otunnu served as the UN Under-Secretary General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. In that capacity he spearheaded the international campaign to develop and mobilize international action on behalf of children exposed to war, serving as advocate and moral voice for them, promoting measures for their protection in times of war and for their healing and social reintegration in the aftermath of conflict. He was the architect of the ground-breaking comprehensive monitoring and compliance regime for the protection of children, adopted by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1612 of 26 July 2005.

"From 1990 to 1997 Mr. Otunnu was President of the International Peace Academy (IPA). Mr. Otunnu is widely recognized for his contributions to international peace and security, conflict prevention, reform of multilateral institutions, human rights, and the future of Africa. In the 1970s, Mr. Otunnu played a leading role in the resistance against the regime of Idi Amin in Uganda. In 1979, he was elected a member of the interim administration in the post-Amin period. From 1980 to 1985, he served as Uganda's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. During his tenure at the UN, he played a very active role, serving as President of the Security Council; Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights; Vice-President of the General Assembly; and Facilitator of Global Negotiations. Mr. Otunnu served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda from 1985 to 1986. He returned to the world of academia before being appointed to the UN. From 1987 to 1989, he was affiliated with the Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI) as Visiting Fellow, and with the American University in Paris as Visiting Professor.

"A native Ugandan, Mr. Otunnu received his early education at Gulu High School and King’s College, Budo, later attending Makerere University in Kampala where he became president of the students; union and played an active role in the resistance against the regime of Idi Amin. Otunnu continued his education at Oxford University as Overseas Scholar and at Harvard Law School as a Fulbright Scholar.

"Mr. Otunnu is very active in many civic organizations. He currently serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Aspen Institute, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the International Selection Commission of the Philadelphia Liberty Medal, Aspen France, and Jury for the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, and International Peace Academy.

"Mr. Otunnu has received several major awards, including the German Africa Prize (2002) and the Sydney Peace Prize (2005). He has been named World's Children Ombudsman by the International Jury for the World's Children's Prize." 


 * International Advisory Board, International Peace Academy
 * Advisory Council, The Initiative for Inclusive Security
 * Prize Selection Committee, Millenium Peace Prize
 * Senior Advisor, International Crisis Group
 * Winner of the 2005 Sydney Peace Prize

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 * Bernadette Crasto