Secretary Hillary Clinton Visits DCU and Gives Major Foreign Policy Speech; Announces DCU Initiative on Conflict Resolution

US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, visited DCU December 6th,and gave a wide-ranging global human rights address entitled 'Front Lines and Frontiers – Making Human Rights a Human Reality'.

The event was attended by an audience of over one thousand guests, including DCU students and staff, government representatives, members of the diplomatic corps and the press. The event, which was televised nationally and internationally and which received enormous press coverage globally, was generally considered to be a tremendous coup for the university.

Senator Clinton also launched DCU's new Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction at Dublin City University.

Speaking at the event, Secretary Clinton said, "This university is renowned, not just for your world–class academics but also your engagement with the world – your international student body, your commitment to help solve urgent global problems through study and innovation, and your new Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction, which I can assure you will have a busy agenda ahead of it. Because you are absolutely right that the lessons learned here in Ireland about how to build peace could be of great use to other peoples and nations. And I commend the university for your global service, which has such ramifications far beyond the academic world."

The establishment of the Institute will build on existing expertise within the campus and DCU's reputation as the principal academic centre in Ireland for the study of international relations and conflict resolution, to bring the successful experience of the Irish peace process to other regions of conflict. It will focus on policy and practice on the implementation phase of peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction.

President of DCU, Professor Brian MacCraith, said, "Building on her commitment to peace on this island, it is fitting that Secretary of State Clinton joins us today and launches DCU's new Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction. Our aim is to learn lessons from our own history here in Ireland, and to apply those lessons in both current-conflict and post-conflict regions around the world. Working with partners, nationally and globally, DCU will build on its strong expertise in this area and focus on the implementation phase of peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction."

CIS is delighted to welcome the initiative which will further strengthen DCU's reputation as Ireland's leading centre for the study of international affairs.

Further information on Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction