President and CEO
International Peace Institute

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein was the UN human rights chief from 2014-2018.  In January 2014, he served as president of the UN Security Council and earlier, in 2002, was elected the first president of the governing body of the International Criminal Court (ICC) -- guiding the court's growth in its first three years (9/2002-9/2005).  He served twice as Jordan’s ambassador to the United Nations (in New York) and once as Jordan’s ambassador to the United States.  He also represented Jordan twice before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).  From 1994-1996, he served as a UN civilian peacekeeper with UNPROFOR.  He is currently the President and CEO of the International Peace Institute, and Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania.  He holds degrees from Johns Hopkins and Cambridge universities.  In 2019, he was appointed a member of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice and human rights, founded by Nelson Mandela.