2007 Graduation - Doctoral Convocation
Citation: Ambassador Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika, Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award
Ambassador, I have the great privilege of honoring you this evening for your outstanding global contributions on behalf of women, children, education, HIV/AIDS, and democracy.
You were born and raised in the Republic of Zambia, eventually moving to the United States to pursue your university studies. In 1964 you attended California Polytechnic University and obtained a Bachelors Degree in education and one year later, a Masters Degree in Education and Psychology.
After graduating, you returned to Zambia, and from 1965 to 1972, you were a Lecturer at Evelyn Hone College of Further Education and Mongu Teacher Training College. Your subsequent move to New York City found you enrolling at New York University's Steinhardt School where you obtained a PhD in Elementary Education in 1980.
Even while you pursued your doctoral studies, you held the position of Professor of Education and Teacher Training at the University of Zambia, and were a founding member of the Pre-school Association of Zambia, over which you presided for two terms.
Upon completing your doctorate, you worked for UNICEF, first as Regional Advisor for East and Southern Africa, and later, from 1987 to 1990, as UNICEF's Regional Advisor for West and Central Africa. Through these positions, you influenced the elaboration of national policies dealing with children and women's rights. Jim Grant, former head of UNICEF, once called you "the most knowledgeable person about the children of Africa."
In 1991, you moved on from UNICEF and began your career as a public servant for Zambia. You presided over two parliamentary commissions, Foreign Affairs and Women and Children, and founded over 30 community-development associations for the education and skills training of young people. You were the first chairperson of the Zambia All Party Women Parliamentarians Caucus and also founding Vice Chairperson of the Southern, Eastern, and Horn of Africa African Women Parliamentarian Caucus.
As President of the National Party, you became the first woman leader of a political party in Zambia, which led to your bid for the presidency in 2001. Though you did not win the election, your intellect and wisdom on national and global affairs were recognized by all candidates, leading to your appointment by the newly elected President as Ambassador and Special Envoy for the Republic of Zambia.
As Ambassador of Zambia to the United States, you continue to focus on education and economic development and have recently turned your attention to HIV/AIDS issues, stating that while education ‘may be the most important investment, it may not be the primary investment.'
Your tireless efforts on behalf of the mobilization of women have been seen at the grassroots, national and international levels. You were a founding member of the Federation of African Women's Peace Networks and presided over the organization from 1997-2002. In this capacity, you were selected among ten prominent African women peace workers that visited Rwanda soon after the genocide and led a UN delegation to Burundi and Rwanda to assess the effects of the genocide on women and children and recommend intervention strategies.
In 2000, you were only one of five selected women from various continents who addressed the United Nations Security Council on the first and unprecedented debate that resulted in the Council's adoption of UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.
In 2006, you were given the Ambassador of the Year Award by the Ambassadors Foundation and Howard University jointly for outstanding representation of Zambia as well as Athena International's Award for outstanding leadership service that improves the lives of others.
Ambassador Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika, on behalf of the entire Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, it gives me great pleasure to award you the 2007 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.