FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JULY 23, 2024
(GREATER SUDBURY, ON) – Huntington University is excited the announce the formation of a new international centre of excellence, involving participation from countries from around the globe, including Peru.
The Canadian Institute for Human Rights and Global Health (CIHRGH), which held its inaugural meeting on June 26, 2024, will be housed at Huntington University in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Comprised expert researchers and academics in the fields of international human rights and/or global health from such countries as Canada, Burkina Faso, Egypt, India, France, Nigeria, Peru, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, and United Arab Emirates, this new institute will work together on key areas and issues impacting communities and countries on a global scale.
“On behalf of the Huntington University Board of Regents, I am happy to announce the launch of the Canadian Institute for Human Rights and Global Health and the appointment of Dr. Kevin McCormick as Founding President,” said Ms. Mary-Liz Warwick, Chair, Huntington University Board of Regents. “Over the years, Huntington has built successful institutes and centres of excellence which have cemented robust relationships and partnerships with colleagues in Canada and around the globe. These international ventures have provided us with a strong foundation upon which to grow and prosper as we look to the future. This launch marks a new and exciting chapter in the legacy of Huntington University, as we explore a key area of growth as identified by the Board of Regents.”
The Canadian Institute for Human Rights and Global Health is being launched with a complement of 12 international Fellows, who have committed to an international conference and speaker series for 2024, as well as a book project in 2025. The Fellows will form the membership of the institute, with additional Fellows being named in the coming months.
Among the institute Fellows is Dr. Liliana Mayo who is the Founder and Executive Director of Centro Ann Sullivan (CASP) del Perú in Lima. CASP serves more than 400 students with different abilities (autism and other developmental disabilities) and their families. Dr. Mayo is an award-winning humanitarian and Special Education specialist, affiliated with the University of Kansas and also the University Cayetano Heredia in Peru. She has given lectures and seminars in more than 30 countries, and has presented the work of CASP in the United Nations (UN) and in the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Mayo has also been selected for a prestigious academic research role with the Canadian Institute for Huan Rights and Global Health. Distinguished Research Chairs are being named to the role for three year terms and may receive a stipend to support their research and scholarly activities. At present, we are proud to announce the following:
The Huntington Distinguished Research Chair in Education and Human Rights
Dr. Liliana Mayo | Peru
The Dr. Edward J. Conroy Distinguished Research Chair in Human Rights Law, Culture and Inequality
Dr. Livio Visano | Canada
The Huntington Distinguished Research Chair in International Human Rights
Dr. Awalou Ouedraogo | Canada and Burkina Faso
“It is truly an honour to be invited to join the Canadian Institute for Human Rights and Global Health as a Fellow and a Distinguished Chair,” said Dr. Liliana Mayo who is the Founder and Executive Director of the Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú. “My work in Peru is focused on education for youth with special needs, and I’m keenly aware that everyone should have the right to live, learn and become a productive, meaningful member of society. However, education is not always prioritized, easily accessed, or permitted. This invitation to collaborate with international colleagues on these issues, offers an incredible opportunity to highlight education as a human right and a key social determinant of health, both in my home country of Peru and around the world.”
The CIHRGH is already generating a high level of interest amidst higher education and research circles in various countries. Dr. Kevin McCormick, who has led the university for 18 years and also serves as Founding President of the Peruvian Canadian Institute, will lead the newly established Canadian Institute for Human Rights and Global Health. McCormick believes the excitement surrounding the Institute is a testament of the need for more focus in these areas of research and academia.
“By teaming up with partners who have become proud Fellows of our institute, and who are also affiliated with international organizations such as the United Nations, post-secondary institutions, and more, we tap into a vast pool of knowledge and expertise. As a collective group working in partnership with a common goal, we will add to the international collaboration that is already underway; complementing the work of organizations, in Canada and beyond, that are focused on similar values, objectives and outcomes.”