Events
Inaugural Wangari Maathai Lecture at the Royal botanic Gardens at Kew
Mary Robinson spoke on March 27th to honour the life of Professor Wangari Maathai as the main speaker at the iInaugural Wangari Maathai Lecture at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London. Former president of Ireland and newly appointed Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Mrs. Robinson spoke about how Professor Maathai had greatly inspired her and many others “because of her personal courage and commitment, and her practical way of doing.”
Ms Robinson’s lecture was titled 'Wangari's Inspiration on Courageous Leadership and Climate Justice’.
During the Inaugural Wangari Maathai Lecture, Mrs Robinson spoke of the influence Professor Maathai had had on her work in Climate Justice, and the eventual establishment of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice:
“To me a climate justice approach had to be a values-led, people-centred approach, which highlighted the injustice of climate change but which had to be practical about solutions – as Wangari had been.”
The Inaugural Lecture was introduced by Theo Sowa, CEO of the African Womens Development Fund who was a long standing friend, colleague and admirer of Professor Wangari Maathai. For a copy of Mary Robinson full speech click here.
“The first thing that struck me about her were her brilliant smile, her spirituality and her indomitable spirit. On several occasions she would be asked to speak on a UN panel, and told she had five minutes.
With the broadest smile, and in her passionate voice, Wangari ignored this advice and told the representatives of governments what they needed to hear, and at some length!
But her inspiration and her legacy live on in the Green Belt Movement, and in the many like me who have been supported and encouraged in our work by her leadership and her spirit. May she continue to inspire millions more and encourage the political will for change that was at the heart of her mission.”
Among the other activities which took place to commemorate Professor Maathai was an exhibition of the work of GBM in the Orangery restaurant at the Botanic Gardens shown during the morning memorial event attended by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and friends, family and distinguished colleagues of Professor Maathai.
