JCU to Welcome Diplomat Staffan de Mistura as 2021 Commencement Speaker
The Hon. Staffan de Mistura (photo licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Germany)
President Franco Pavoncello is pleased and honored to announce that John Cabot University’s 2021 Commencement speaker will be diplomat Staffan de Mistura. The Honorable de Mistura will address the graduates at the event that will be held at JCU on May 17 to mark the conclusion of the academic year and to honor the Classes of 2020 and 2021. Commencement 2021 will take place in hybrid mode, mostly in open spaces and in full compliance with the anti-Covid19 safety protocols established by the Italian government.
Staffan de Mistura
Born in Sweden in 1947, Staffan de Mistura served as Special Envoy for Syria of the United Nations Secretary-General from July 2014 to December 2018. Prior to this assignment, he was notably the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq (2007-2009) and in Afghanistan (2010-2011), and Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister (2012-2014). During a career of over four decades with United Nations agencies, he served in numerous conflict zones, directing complex relief operations, food distributions, and vaccination campaigns. In particular, he was posted in Sudan, Ethiopia, Albania, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, and Somalia. He has also held senior political and humanitarian assignments in Lebanon and Iraq and served as Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme. Mr. de Mistura is a national of Italy and Sweden.
On this occasion, the Degree of Doctor of International Affairs, honoris causa will be bestowed upon Mr. de Mistura.
The Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021
Graduating students represent 59 countries: Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, United States of America, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.
