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Recent Appearances


EU Central Asia Committee Hearing

November 29, 2011


Photo courtesy of Club de Madrid

Brussels, Belgium. Frmr PM Campbell testified before a European Parliament Central Asia Committee hearing about a project in Kyrgyzstan in which the Club of Madrid is currently playing a role.  The 12-month project is in partnership with the Soros Foundation, Kyrgyzstan and the International Crisis Group.  Funded by the European Commission, the “Political Leadership for Democratic Transition in Kyrgyzstan” project includes five missions by Club de Madrid Members to Kyrgyzstan and 3 visits to Brussels to consult and debrief European partners.  Ms. Campbell led a mission to Kyrgyzstan in September of 2011.

The importance of a successful and peaceful democratic transition in Kyrgyzstan is essential to stability in the region and the hopes for true democracy to take hold in Central Asia. At the conclusion of this transitional period, Kyrgyzstan will represent the only parliamentary system in a region dominated by strong presidential governments. The country is also at the vanguard of establishing an inclusive multiethnic state in the region, with nearly 35% of the population composed of ethnic minorities. The Club de Madrid is working to support these processes and ensure that all citizens are able to reap the benefits of a responsive, participative democracy.

Learn more about the project in this one pager.


Club de Madrid - Digital Tech for 21st Century Democracy

November 8, 2011


Photo courtesy of CdM

New York City, USA. The Club de Madrid recently convened its 10th Anniversary annual conference, “Digital Technologies for 21st Century Democracy.” Former Prime Minister Campbell, one of the driving forces of the Club over that decade, played key roles in both the conference as well as the gala celebration.

On Wednesday, November 9, Ms. Campbell was a discussant during the breakout session examining citizen engagement. The panel was titled, “If We Build It, Will They Come: Why Meaningful Citizen Engagement is Hard.” 
 
The speakers for the panel were… 
  • Sean Cleary, Founder and Executive Vice-Chair, Future World Foundation; Board Member, IFES (Facilitator)
  • Chat García Ramilo, Women’s Networking Support Programme Coordinator, Association for Progressive Communications
  • Susan Pointer, Director, Public Policy & Government Relations, Google Inc., Southern & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa
  • Anas Qtiesh, Program Officer, Meedan; Global Voices Online contributor
  • Henry Sweetbaum, Founder and Trustee of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence
Fellow Club de Madrid member, Kjell Magne Bondevik (PM of Norway: 1997-2000; 2001-2005) was also a discussant for the session.

To listen to the panel podcast, visit the AUDIO section of the Conference website.


Greenbuild NEXT 2011

October 5, 2011


Toronto, Canada. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, ABC News political commentator Cokie Roberts, former Prime Minister of Canada Kim Campbell, medical anthropologist and physician Dr. Paul Farmer and USGBC President & CEO Rick Fedrizzi tackled the subject of building resiliency at the Greenbuild 2011 Opening Plenary. 

Greenbuild is the world's largest green building conference and celebrates what is NEXT in green building.  It is convened each year by the US Green Build Council (USGBC), a non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. This year marks the first time it is being held outside of the United States.  Ms. Campbell drew inspiration for resilience from the boat lift that took place on 9/11. It serves as an example of government [US Coast Guard] recognizing a need, putting out a call, and that call being answered by citizens who not only had the resources, but also the will to help meet the need to evacuate half a million people from the piers of lower Manhattan on 9/11. Dr. Farmer shared lessons learned by his organization, Partners in Health, from working in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.
 
Thomas Friedman delivered the keynote address and admitted that the prospects of speedy changes in government policy to support green building were grim, but recalled speaking to a US military serviceman who had served in Afghanistan. When asked why they kept surging, the solder said, “We were too dumb to quit.” Concluding his remarks, Friedman congratulated Greenbuild attendees who continue to innovate, and good-naturedly thanked them for being “too dumb to quit.”
 
Watch the opening plenary here (Ms. Campbell's panel begins after 1hr16m):

Greenbuild 2011: Opening Keynote Celebration from U.S. Green Building Council on Vimeo


Can Think Tanks Make a Difference?

September 20, 2011


Photo courtesy of CIGI

Waterloo, ON. Experts in governance as well as hip hop star K’Naan came together to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI). To mark the occasion CIGI also convened a conference titled, “Can Think Tanks Make a Difference?” Former Prime Minister Campbell was the lead speaker of the session, “Do Governments Care More About Politics than Policy?” Chrystia Freeland, Editor for Thomson Reuters Digital, moderated the session and other panelists included…

·         Mel Cappe, Past President, Institute for Research on Public Policy, Professor, School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Toronto
·         Carlo Dade, Former Executive Director of Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL)
·         Lawrence MacDonald, Vice President, Communications and Policy Outreach, Centre for Global Development
·         Enrique Mendizabal, Editor of onthinktanks.org and Research Associate at the Overseas Development Institute
 
CIGI is an independent, non-partisan think tank on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI's interdisciplinary work includes collaboration with policy, business and academic communities around the world.

Campbell Lecture at OSCE Academy

September 15, 2011


Photo courtesy of the Club de Madrid

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.  Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell delivered a lecture on "The Role of Political Leader in Promoting Change." Ms Campbell spoke from her own experience as a political leader who made a great contribution to social change in Canada. In this public lecture, she emphasized that political leadership is essential for achieving change against cultural prejudice and neglect of the vulnerable. Women political leadership has been essential in bringing about the dramatic shift in Western democracies in regard to the position of the women in society and resulted in greater protection against male violence and structural discrimination, as well as in a radically changed public discourse on gender.

This event was part of the mission lead by Former Prime Minister Campbell to the Kyrgyz Republic sent by the Club de Madrid.  Promoted during the mission were the principles of participatory democracy, credible election, respect for human rights culture, and the strengthening of governance institutions for further consolidation of democracy. 


Club de Madrid Kyrgyzstan Mission

September 13, 2011


Photo courtesy of ClubdeMadrid

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. With the objective of supporting peaceful and just transitional political processes in the run up to the October 30th Presidential elections, the Club de Madrid sent a mission lead by Former Prime Minister Campbell to the Kyrgyz Republic.  Promoted during the mission were the principles of participatory democracy, credible election, respect for human rights culture, and the strengthening of governance institutions for further consolidation of democracy.  

This was the third Club of Madrid mission to Kyrgyzstan and Ms. Campbell provided information on comparative experiences of political parties in Canada and other countries with regard to their role in democratic governance, communication with their constituency and leadership.

To learn more about the Club de Madrid's Political Leadership for Democratic Transition in Kygyzstan program, as well as this mission, by visiting the Club de Madrid website.

By the way, here is a TV interview that Ms. Campbell did while in Kyrgyzstan.  (RUSSIAN LANGUAGE ONLY - TAKES QUITE A WHILE TO LOAD) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Luncheon on Advancement of Women in Netherlands

June 23, 2011


Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Canada

The Hague. The Embassy of Canada to the Netherlands convened a luncheon and roundtable discussion featuring the Right Honourable Kim Campbell on Thursday, June 23rd, 2011. The theme of the roundtable was "Gender and Leadership: A Looking-Forward Perspective". Ms. Campbell’s presentation and the discussion afterward focused on how to overcome barriers to the advancement of women in leadership roles. 

 

The guests included persons of influence from Dutch political, government, academic, commercial and cultural milieux. Several Dutch senior officials responsible for gender issues, as well as important women leaders from Dutch government and society attended.


Trent University

June 2, 2011


Peterborough, ON.  Kim Campbell shared her "Geezer's Guide to Life" with graduates of Trent University.  Her words of wisdom included...

"Realize that history doesn’t make history, - people do. Care about the way you are governed and led. Embrace the responsibilities of citizenship and do not delude yourself into thinking that because the political process in your country is flawed, it is beneath you to engage in it. I work around the world with societies that are trying to build democracies and so I know that in many ways we are lucky in Canada. Democracy is a blunt instrument, not a precisions tool. It is always a work in progress and each generation has to keep working at it.   Over the centuries, people have paid with their lives to build liberty, the rule of law and representative institutions. Even today, people are putting their lives on the line for democracy. Few of us will ever be asked to pay so dearly for these values, but we should be ready to devote part of our lives to protecting freedom and fairness. It is not enough to live history; we should all try in our own way to make it."

Trent University also awarded Campbell an honorary doctor of laws degree and  an article in the Peterborough Examiner reported that...

Trent is recognizing Campbell for her achievements and leadership in Canada and internationally, Libby Burnham  said in her introduction of the former prime minister. "Kim Campbell has made her voice heard, both in Canada and internationally," she said.


Advancing Freedom and Human Rights

May 22, 2011


Photo courtesy of CdM

Kuwait City, Kuwait.  Former Prime Minister Campbell went to Kuwait to participate in an forum hosted by the Fahad Al Salem Center for Dialogue Among Civlizations and Defense of Liberty titled, “Renewing Dialogue for Peace; Advancing Freedom and Human Rights in today’s world.”  Other former leaders (and also Club de Madrid Members) scheduled to attend: Vicente Fox (Mexico), Cesar Gaviria (Colombia), Wim Kok (Netherlands), Chandrika Kumaratunga (Sri Lanka), Luis Alberto Lacalle (Uruguay), Benjamin Mkapa (Tanzania), Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Andres Pastrana (Colombia), Petre Roman (Romania), Jorge Sampaio (Portugal), Jennifer Shipley (New Zealand), Cassen Uteem (Mauritius), Lech Walesa (Poland), as well as His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Fahad Al Salem Center explained the reasoning for convening the forum: For nearly 6,000 years the Middle East has served as the crossroads of civilization, culture and commerce--a place where scholars, artisans, merchants and global citizens alike gathered not only to trade goods, but ideas that have helped to shape the world in which we live today.

That tradition continues today with the convening of the Center for Dialogue Among Civilization's inaugural forum entitled, “Renewing Dialogue for Peace; Advancing Freedom and Human Rights in today’s world.”


AUBG Commencement

May 15, 2011


Photo courtesy of AUBG

Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria.  The American University in Bulgaria celebrated its 17th commencement in the main square.  Former Prime Minister Campbell delivered the keynote address calling on the graduates to “embrace the responsibilities of citizenship,” be critical of their leaders, work hard, and live in a way that they would be proud of when they grow old.

About AUBG:
The American University in Bulgaria was established in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, on June 24, 1991, through the joint efforts of USAID, the Open Society Institute, and the Bulgarian local and national government. The intent of the founders was establish a University that could educate a new generation of leaders to assist the newly independent Bulgaria develop economically, politically, and socially.

AUBG is a selective, residential, liberal arts university based upon the classic American model. The University offers nine majors and fourteen minors, spanning the traditional core liberal arts programs as well as computer science and business. The current mission of the American University in Bulgaria is “to educate students of outstanding potential in a community of academic excellence, diversity, and respect and to prepare them for democratic and ethical leadership in serving the needs of the region and the world.”


Campbell at Brookings

April 20, 2011


Photo courtesy of Club de Madrid

Washington, DC.  Former Prime Minister Campbell visited the Brookings Institution on Wednesday, April 20th to participate in a roundtable event; another in the series that helped to officially launch the publication, Economic Rationale for Shared Societies

The Shared Societies Project is a Club of Madrid global initiative that provides leaders with greater understanding of the benefits of social cohesion, the incentives and means to act to advance it. The project supports democratic development through promoting leadership for dialogue, diversity and social cohesion.


World Bank welcomes Campbell

April 19, 2011


Photo courtesy of Club de Madrid

Washington, DC. Former Prime Minister Campbell presented "Shared Societies: the Link Between Inclusion and Economic Growth" at the World Bank on Tuesday, April 19th; another in the series that helped to officially launch the publication, Economic Rationale for Shared Societies.

The Shared Societies Project is a Club of Madrid global initiative that provides leaders with greater understanding of the benefits of social cohesion, the incentives and means to act to advance it. The project supports democratic development through promoting leadership for dialogue, diversity and social cohesion.


Council of Women World Leaders event

April 19, 2011


Washington, DC.  Kim Campbell visited the Council of Women World Leaders to speak at an event as part of the organization's Spotlight on Leadership Series. The event, held on April 19th, convened 20 influential leaders from the business, governmental, and non-profit communities to talk about the underrepresentation of women on corporate boards.  The discussion was moderated by Susan Ness, FCC Commissioner (1994-2001).


Promoting Shared Societies

April 16, 2011


Photo courtesy of Club de Madrid

Washington, DC.  Saturday, April 16, 2011, Kim Campbell spoke at the“How to Promote Equitable Development and Shared Societies” event at the Equality Center.

As more countries are embracing austerity policies, which have profoundly negative social impacts, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Club de Madrid and Center of Concern presented a free, public event highlighting the need instead to pursue equitable development and shared societies.
 

"A 'shared society' is a socially cohesive society. It is stable, safe. It is where all those living there feel at home. It respects everyone's dignity and human rights while providing every individual with equal opportunity. It is tolerant. It respects diversity. A shared society is constructed and nurtured through strong political leadership."


Campbell addresses Oxford Model Ukraine Conference

April 6, 2011


While she was unable to personally attend, Former Prime Minister Campbell addressed, by video, the Opening of the third Oxford Model Ukraine Conference at St. Antony’s College and New College at the University of Oxford. The conference was held April 6-8, and was sponsored and organized by the alumni of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Program (CUPP), and the Oxford University Ukrainian Society, in cooperation with the Russian and Eurasian Studies Center. Ms. Campbell encountered the work of CUPP through her role as the Chair of the International Advisory Board of the Foundation for Effective Governance in Kyiv.

CLICK HERE to watch the video address by Former Prime Minister Campbell.

 


Women in the Economy

April 5, 2011


Photo courtesy of WSJ

Palm Beach, Florida, USA. Kim Campbell participated in the inaugural meeting of The Wall Street Journal’s Task Force on Women in the Economy, which brought together 150 influential men and women from the public and private sectors as well as key subject matter experts with a unique focus on women in the workforce. Through panels and carefully structured working sessions, and driven by original research from McKinsey & Company, participants assessed and debated economic, demographic, and workplace factors that contribute to the fact the women’s advancement in the workplace severely lags that of men. Former Prime Minister Campbell spoke on the panel titled, "The Politics of Gender: Women in Government."

The mission of the task force is to create an action plan addressing urgent issues that affect not only women and their professional potential, but also companies and their ability to harness the economic opportunities offered by this vital segment of the workforce.  One of the products of this inaugural meeting was a set of recommendation published by the Wall Street Journal.

To learn more about the meeting and the task force, visit the Wall Street Journal's full report on Women in Economy.