UNESCO Chair in Food, Biodiversity, and Sustainability Studies

Jan. 28, 2020

Good evening everyone, it’s a great pleasure for me to join you tonight to celebrate the launch of the UNESCO Chair on Food, Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies.

As president of Laurier, some of my greatest pleasure comes from being able to highlight and celebrate our world-class researchers.

Our researchers make astounding contributions to global knowledge and Dr. Alison Blay-Palmer is no exception. In fact, she is a perfect example.

In her effort to help build a more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable food system for the planet, Dr. Alison Blay-Palmer embodies academic and research excellence.

I also know her to be a wonderful colleague, mentor and student supervisor.

Dr. Blay-Palmer’s work with the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and the Food: Locally Embedded, Globally Engaged partnership has earned nearly $10 million in research investments, by, for example, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

It has also forged research alliances with academic and practitioner communities across Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, and Kenya.

Now, as a UNESCO chair holder, Dr. Blay-Palmer and Laurier have an opportunity to further broaden the scope of these connections and work with many more institutions across the globe to address the United Nations’ sustainable development goals related to hunger, gender equality, and climate change.

This is a proud moment for the Laurier community.

Tonight, we come together to celebrate the possibilities the future holds by forming a deeper understanding of biodiversity, food security, and sustainable development.

But as we are all aware, progress is not a solo endeavour.

The benefits of this partnership won’t be confined to Dr. Blay-Palmer and her research colleagues.

This research and its outcomes will extend throughout our campuses where it will inspire our future-ready students, academics, and communities of practice to make even more connections and advancements that enrich our thriving community.

Thank you, Dr. Blay-Palmer and Secretary-General Goupil, this incredible partnership stands to move Laurier ever-closer to our goal of inspiring lives of leadership and purpose.

This is truly an exciting time and I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next.

Thank you.