BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE VICTIMS' TRUST FUND: Biographies

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan was elected to serve as the representative for the Asian Region on the Board. As First Lady, Queen Rania's activities encompass issues of national and international concern, such as the environment, youth development and human rights. Internationally, she serves on the Board of Directors of The Vaccine Fund, The World Economic Forum, The International Youth Foundation and The Foundation for International Community Assistance. In Jordan, Queen Rania chairs the Royal Commission on Human Rights. In addition, she has established the first center in the Arab world dedicated to combating child abuse and has actively promoted educational reform and IT learning.

His Excellency Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez from Costa Rica was elected to serve as the representative of the Latin American and Caribbean Region on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court. Despite the fact that he has closely been involved in the work, he could unfortunately not attend the meetings of this week in person due to the fact that his presence was urgently required in his home country Costa Rica. Dr. Arias Sánchez won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the cycle of violence in Central America. He earned a doctorate in political science at the University of Essex and, following the adoption of what is widely known as the “Arias Peace Plan,” earned some fifty honorary doctorate degrees. He is the author of several books about peace and politics, and founded the Foundation for Peace and Human Progress with the monetary award from the Nobel Prize.

His Excellency Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki from Poland was elected to serve as the representative from Eastern Europe on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court. He was one of the founders of the Solidarity Movement and served as the first Prime Minister of Poland in the post-communist era. He was the founder and the chairperson of The Democratic Union which later became the Union for Freedom. He has served in various positions in the Polish Parliament, including member of the Parliamentary Constitutional Committee, member of the Parliamentary Defence Committee, and Chairman of the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee. In the international arena he has served as a UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights for the Former Yugoslavia. At present he is the Chairman of the Polish Robert Schuman Foundation. His Excellency has received several prizes and honorary doctorates in recognition to his activities in the field of human rights.

Madame Minister Simone Veil from France was elected to serve as the representative from Western Europe and Other States regional group on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court. Madame Veil was elected as first President of the European Parliament by universal suffrage in 1979 and has served as President of the Judicial Commission for the European Parliament. In France, she has held prominent positions with the Ministries of Health and Social Security. She was appointed as State Minister, Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Urban Affairs in 1993. As an Auschwitz survivor, she is currently President of the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah and she has been a Member of the French Constitutional Council since 1998. She is widely recognised as a defendant and campaigner of human rights and particularly of women’s rights and has received honours from governments and organisations in Europe, Africa and the Americas.

His Eminence Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu from South Africa was elected to serve as the representative of the African Region. He gained international prominence in 1984 when he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his work toward a democratic and just society without racial divisions. He continued his work to facilitate South Africa’s transition from Apartheid as Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He holds numerous honorary doctorates and international awards.