Margot Wallström this years Dag Hammarskjöld Lecturer

Sexual violence in Armed Conflict is the theme when Margot Wallström, former Under-Secretary-General and UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, takes the stage in Uppsala university on 9 September 16:30.

Sexual violence as a theme was for a long time absent from the global policy-making level – despite its horrible and very real existence on the ground. Since 2000, when resolution 1325 first made recognition of the impact of war on women and the importance of women’s contributions to conflict resolution, several Security Council Resolutions (SRCs) have been formulated on the issue.  In 2009 a Special Representative role – to act as an advocate, coordinator and leader within the UN system on the issue – was established. Margot Wallström was the first to hold this position.

Prior to Ms. Wallström’s position as Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative, she served as a member of the Swedish parliament and in different ministerial positions in the government for many years, among others as Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Women and Youth.

She further served as Environmental Commissioner and Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy for the European Commission. She was also the first elected vice-president of the European Commission in 2004 under president José Manuel Barroso and served as such until 2010. Currently she is the chair of the Board at the Lund University.

Ms. Wallström is known for her commitment to issues of women and gender, environmental and international affairs as well as citizen involvement in the EU.

The Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture is, since 1998, given in memory of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, and in recognition of the values that inspired him as Secretary-General and generally in his life – compassion, humanism and commitment to international solidarity and cooperation.

The invited speaker should be an outstanding international personality who in significant and innovative ways contributes to a more just, peaceful and environmentally sustainable world through valuable achievements in politics or research.

Further information about the Dag Hammarskjöld Lectures including the full list of previous lecturers can be obtained at the website: www.dhf.uu.se/dag-hammarskjold-lecture/. A filmed version of the lecture will also be available here.

The lecture is open to the public and is followed by a question and answer session. There will also be a performance by the choir La Capella.

Time and place: Uppsala university main hall (universitetsaulan), 9 September, 16.30.

Margot will also take part in a wreath ceremony at Dag Hammarskjölds grave 15.30

For more information and inquiries about getting an interview with Ms. Wallström please contact Mattias Lasson, tel: 018-410 10 06, 076-541 10 06, mattias.lasson@dhf.uu.se