CONTACT: Ann Grauvogl, 608-265-9592, agrauvogl@wisc.edu; Linda Zwicker, 608-265-5136, lazwicker@wisc.edu
MADISON – The University of Wisconsin-Madison has been awarded a UNESCO Chair on Gender, Well-being and a Culture of Peace, a first in the state of Wisconsin and a first for the university in any area. It creates a global platform for the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and for the campuswide 4W (Women and Well-being in Wisconsin and the World) Initiative.
“This recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) affirms UW-Madison’s strength in addressing global issues,” says Chancellor Rebecca Blank. “The interdisciplinary ethic of our faculty, staff and students allows us to engage on complex issues from a host of perspectives. That’s a valuable asset to the UNESCO network around the world.”
UNESCO has designated more than 670 chairs worldwide to promote international cooperation and networking among universities. UW-Madison joins a network of 12 other chairs on gender around the world, connecting efforts of women in Europe, Latin America, Africa and the United States.
Araceli Alonso, a senior lecturer in gender and women’s studies and 4W director for Gender, Clinical Practice and the Health Sciences, and Teresa Langle de Paz, co-director of Women’s Knowledge International at the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, will jointly hold the chair.
Alonso also founded the Health by Motorbike Project in Kenya and co-leads 4W’s project to end sex trafficking and exploitation. She has collaborated with other UNESCO chairs on gender and development and welcomes the chance for further collaboration locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
Langle de Paz is also an honorary fellow for the Women’s Research Center at the Gender and Women’s Studies Department.
