Press Release: 2017 Lewis Perinbam Award for International Development Winner: Robert Muggah
We are pleased to announce that the recipient honoured with the 2017 Lewis Perinbam Award is Dr. Robert Muggah.
Robert is a Canadian political scientist whose work over the past two decades has impacted millions of people; reducing armed violence in some of the world’s most challenging conflict settings through policy, practice, and academia.
As the Co-founder and Research Director of the Igarapé Institute and the SecDev Foundation, Robert is committed to identifying evidence-based and technology-enabled solutions to security, development, and human rights. Through careful data analysis, he is able to look at the whole picture from several angles to uncover trends, nationally and internationally, that shed light on problems and solutions.
Robert’s impressive contribution to development includes shaping and drafting UN treaties to control arms; designing and evaluating disarmament programs in post-war settings; launching organizations to improve transparency and public safety; building new technologies to improve city security and reducing police violence; and supporting hundreds of research projects in more than 50 countries.
Through Robert’s work, he mobilizes all actors to demonstrate leadership across sectors for collaborative, sustainable solutions. He works directly with affected communities to design and implement solutions, gaining support from multilateral partners, such as the UN; bilateral agencies; large technical firms, such as Google and IBM; and civil society groups.
In 2013, Robert was named one of the top 100 most influential people in violence reduction. In 2016, he was the only Canadian nominated by the UN Secretary General to advise the preparation of a landmark global review of youth, peace, and security.
Robert has authored dozens of peer-review articles and written seven books on cities, arms control, stability operations, refugees, and the rise of digital gangs and cyber cartels. His research is featured by a number of news outlets, many of which he writes columns for as well. Robert is a regular speaker at the Global Smart City Expo, Chicago Council, World Economic Forum (Davos), and TED (including in 2015, 2016 and 2017).
Robert received his Doctorate from the University of Oxford and teaches in Brazil, Switzerland, the UK and US, including at Singularity.
Congratulations, Robert!
About the Lewis Perinbam Award
The Lewis Perinbam Award in International Development recognizes Canadians who are engaged in improving the lives of those in developing countries; inspiring Canadians to undertake volunteer action; and/or offering new ways of thinking and/or addressing the challenges of development.
Click here to view more past winners.
About Lewis Perinbam
Lewis Perinbam, O.C. (1925-2007) was admired and appreciated for his vast contributions to Canadian participation in development. Mr. Perinbam, who was born in Malaysia and educated in Scotland, was committed to sharing his knowledge of the developing world with Canadians who wanted to make a difference. He was the founding Executive Director of CUSO, the first full time Secretary-General of t Canadian National Commission for UNESCO and was for many years the General Secretary and CEO of World University Service of Canada (WUSC).
Joining the Canadian International Development Agency in 1969, he became the founding Director General of the Non-government Organizations Division, which he both pioneered and championed in the Agency and was later named Vice President, Special Programs – now the Canadian Partnership Branch. He continued to be sought after for important leadership and consultative roles. He led the Task Force on the Participation of Visible Minorities in the Public Service, whose 2000 report won respect – and generated change – throughout government and industry.
In October 1997 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Mr. Perinbam served on numerous NGO Boards of Directors and was a longstanding advisor to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).
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