Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, Visits UB

“The U.S. is going to have to change course in a multi-polar world,” Robinson said. “When it was a unipolar power structure, the U.S. could have this exceptionalism. But I think it’s going to have to rethink that, and it’s your generation that are going to have to really think about it in order for the U.S. to continue to have a significant influence in the area of human rights.”

Robinson used the opportunity of speaking at the university to address the importance of young people becoming politically engaged. GSA President Grace Mukupa said that Robinson’s belief in student participation regarding world affairs made Robinson an easy choice for graduate students’ choice speaker.

“Given our large international population on campus, many of us have witnessed and experienced firsthand violations of human rights,” Mukupa said. “Who better to serve as our guide than a woman who has dedicated her life standing up for the voiceless, the disenfranchised, the poor and the hungry, the victims of violence and war?”

Kathleen Carty, a second-year master’s student in comparative literature, connected with Robinson’s idea of a global village.

“I thought it was incredibly inspirational,” Carty said of Robinson’s speech. “The most important thing I took away from tonight was how vital it is that we become citizens of the world.”

Addition reporting by Managing Editor Edward Benoit

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