Samara University Guest Lecture

I have just returned from Ethiopia, where (amongst doing humanitarian work and advocacy in support of the Afar Indigenous People), I was a guest lecturer at the School of Law and Governance, Samara University, located in the capital city of Afar State.  It is the location of the hottest inhabited place on planet earth, and at the beginning of the Great Rift Valley.  I gave a lecture on a topic they requested:  “Ethiopia’s Migration and Refugee Crisis:  Regional & International Law Reflections”.  100 students attended, as did 5 law professors. 

It was an engaging opportunity, made particularly relevant because there are 2 UNHCR refugee camps located not far at all from Samara University.  During the last 18 years, I have made 12 trips to the Afar Region —- including to the refugee camps —- to provide humanitarian work and advocacy for the Afar Indigenous People. 

For the last 15 years I have been the honorary President of a Canadian charitable foundation that I and others established:  the Can-Go Afar Foundation.     We have deep experience deploying humanitarian projects in the Afar Region, such as education scholarships, medical supplies, medical equipment, medical expertise, clothing, nutrition, fresh water technology and infrastructure, livestock replenishment, and micro-financing.  Attached are the slides comprising the PowerPoint presentation that I delivered, as is the letter of acknowledgement from the Dean of the Law School.   I have also attached a photo of the law school class, students, and professors together with me.