Trent University to honour Jagdeo

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo, distinguished Canadian parliamentarian Ed Broadbent, international developer Justin Chiu, and ornithologist Dr Bruce Falls are to be honoured at the June convocation of the Trent University.
On behalf of Senate, Dr Steven E Franklin, the president and vice chancellor of Trent University, announced last week, the four outstanding individuals will receive honorary degrees at Trent’s 46th convocation ceremonies to be held on June 5 and 6, 2013.

“This year we are honouring an international group of individuals for their remarkable achievements and their extraordinary contributions to making the world a better place,” said Dr Franklin.
“All have had an enormous impact, both as leaders in their respective fields, and as advocates for causes such as the environment, education and social justice. Their accomplishments will be an inspiration to the graduands attending the convocation ceremonies.”
In a citation, the university said when Jagdeo became president of Guyana in 1999, he was one of the youngest heads of state in the world. He was twice elected president before leaving office in 2012, in accordance with term limits he signed into Guyana’s Constitution. During his tenure, Jagdeo oversaw a period of strong economic growth and the introduction of major social reforms in health, education, and housing.
A global champion for the environment, Jagdeo has advocated for international action to avoid the worst extremes of climate change. During his presidency, Guyana embarked on one of the world’s most ambitious low carbon development strategies, maintaining 99.5 per cent of its rainforest, and is on track to become the world’s number one user of clean energy by 2017.
In 2008, TIME magazine named Jagdeo a “Hero of the Environment”. In 2010, he was a recipient of the United Nations Champion of the Earth Award, and was asked to serve on the UN Secretary General’s High Level Advisory Group on Climate Finance.
In 2012, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature appointed him high- level envoy for Sustainable Development in Forest Countries and a patron of nature. He was a founding board member of the Global Green Growth Institute, the world’s newest international organisation, and was elected as its first president in 2012. At the request of leaders of forest countries across the world, he serves as roving ambassador for the Three Basins.
From 2005 to 2006, Jagdeo was chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. In 2006, he was named by the World Economic Forum as an inaugural Young Global Leader.
“I am delighted to accept this honour – but I interpret it as recognition of the vision and hard work of everyone in Guyana who is striving to show the world that it is possible to create a new global economy built on clean energy and sustainable land use,” said Jagdeo.
“Creating this new economy is one of the defining challenges of our generation, and we need centres of learning like Trent University to continue to lead the way to the innovations that the world urgently needs.”