Retired general and celebrated human rights advocate to give Hanway Lecture in Global Studies
The Honourable Roméo Dallaire O.C., CMM, GOQ, MSC, C.D., a retired Canadian lieutenant-general and politician, will deliver Loyola University Maryland’s Hanway Lecture in Global Studies on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. in McGuire Hall. The event is free and open to the public but advance registration is required for in-person and virtual attendance.
Titled “The Past, Present, and Future of Peace: An Evening with LGen Roméo Dallaire,” the lecture will explore the genocide in Rwanda 30 years later, mental health and moral injury, and the state of human rights around the globe today.
Dallaire is a celebrated advocate for global human rights, as well as a highly respected author, lecturer, leadership consultant, international advisor, former Canadian Senator, and founder of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security. Throughout his distinguished military career, he served in staff, training, and command positions through North America, Europe, and Africa, rising in rank from army cadet in 1960 to lieutenant-general in 1998.
Dallaire most notably served as force commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. His leadership during the mission earned him the Order of Canada, the Meritorious Service Cross, the United States Legion of Merit, and the Aegis Award on Genocide Prevention. He documented his experiences during the mission in his award-winning book, Shake Hands with the Devil: the Failure of Humanity in Rwanda.
“Lieutenant-General Dallaire has seen firsthand the failure of the international community and its consequences, and he has lived to tell about it,” said Mary Kate Schneider, Ph.D., director of Global Studies and associate teaching professor of political science. “His most recent book, The Peace, is directly relevant to us today as the world grapples with conflicts that are both recurrent and spiraling. The Global Studies Program is honored and privileged to host him here at Loyola.”
Dallaire, who holds numerous honorary doctorates from American and Canadian universities, continues to champion humanitarian causes. His work focuses on issues such as the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on military veterans and their families, finding strategic solutions for lasting peace, and the prevention of mass atrocities.
To learn more, register, and submit questions for the Q&A, visit Hanway Lecture.