Global Classrooms: New York City student recognized at UNA-USA's Leo Nevas Human Rights Award Luncheon

United Nations Organizations Honor Trinity Student
Trinity College, Trinity News

Ibrahim Diallo ’11 was presented the inaugural Leo Nevas Human Rights Student Advocate Award this week by the New York City-based United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) and the Business Council for the United Nations.

A native of Guinea, Diallo, 19, received his award at a luncheon held in the United Nations Delegate Dining Room, where the special guest was Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro.

Diallo, who now lives in Brooklyn, NY, intends to major in human rights and international studies at Trinity, where he founded the African Development Coalition (ADC), an organization dedicated to promoting human rights programs in African countries. The group, which officially became a student group this semester, has received funding from the College’s Center for Urban and Global Studies and from the Student Government Association, of which Diallo is a member.

“It is…hope that led my friends and I to start the African Development Coalition at Trinity College,” Diallo said in accepting his award. “We may not solve Africa’s problems, but as we commit ourselves to raising money and applying for grants to implement our projects in selected African nations, we are certain that we will become better global citizens for it.”

The mission of the ADC is “to raise awareness of contemporary African culture, politics and economic issues on the Trinity campus and beyond, ultimately bringing together a network of civil servants to work towards peace, education and development on the continent.”

Members of the ADC will attend the Model African Union Conference at Howard University in Washington D.C. in spring 2009, and will meet with the ambassadors of Guinea and Sierra Leone.

William Luers, president of the UNA-USA, said Diallo was selected for the prestigious award because of his efforts to heighten awareness of African development and education issues and the rights of U.S. immigrants, and because of his longtime participation in UNA-USA’s Global Classrooms program.

“We are so proud and honored that Ibrahim's work has been recognized by the United Nations Association. As a student leader at Trinity, Ibrahim is deeply engaged in connecting his academic studies to the world around him. The human rights award is a significant accomplishment, showing how smart and committed students can make a difference,” said Sonia Cardenas, Associate Professor of Political Science at Trinity and Director of its Human Rights Program.

The luncheon in New York was held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The event was hosted by UNA-USA and Newman’s Own Foundation. The keynote address was delivered by Francis Mading Deng, special adviser to the United Nations secretary-general for the prevention of genocide.

The main purpose of the luncheon was to present the second annual Leo Nevas Human Rights Award, which is given to an individual who has worked to promote human rights around the world and is named in honor of Leo Nevas, the longest-serving board member of UNA-USA and a champion of human rights.

This year’s award was presented posthumously to Tom Lantos, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 until his death in February. Lantos was the only Holocaust survivor to be elected to Congress.

During his legislative career, Lantos was chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, where he worked for more than 25 years to protect the rights of the world’s most vulnerable populations. His wife, Annette Lantos, accepted the award on his behalf.

The United Nations Association of the United States of America is a not-for-profit- membership organization dedicated to building understanding of and support for the ideals and vital work of the United Nations among the American people. Its educational and humanitarian campaigns, along with its policy and advocacy programs, allow people to make a global impact at the local level.


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