Innovation & Arts

On March 15, the Faculty of Arts' Peace Studies Initiative held a memorable evening at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Arts Commons, to award the Honourable Douglas Roche, O.C., with the 2017 Calgary Peace Prize. Douglas Roche has written 23 books and contributed chapters to another 20 publications, primarily on global peace issues. Nationally, he served as a senator, member of parliament and ambassador for disarmament. In 1988, he served as the chairman of the United Nations Disarmament Committee at the 43rd General Assembly. Roche also chaired an international network of eight NGOs, called the Middle Powers Initiative, which works to advance nuclear disarmament. During his award acceptance speech, Roche expertly engaged the audience on a range of topics such as socio-economic inequality, nuclear disarmament, and the role of the United Nations in international peace building. His speech was followed by a round-table discussion on international peace initiatives and challenges featuring Roche, Bev Delong, Chairperson of the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs. The event was attended by a number of dignitaries including Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Anne McGrath, the Executive Director for the Premier's Southern Alberta Office, and Her Honour, the Honourable Lois E. Mitchell, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. It was a great pleasure for the Faculty of Arts to honour Roche for all his efforts in the past and continued efforts today to promote peace.