Published by Communications and Public Affairs 519 824-4120, Ext. 56982 or 53338

News Release

November 28, 2005

UNICEF Project Officer to Give Annual Hopper Lecture

A U of G graduate and UNICEF project officer specializing in water, sanitation and environmental protection in Rwanda will deliver the 13th annual Hopper Lecture on International Development Dec. 1. The event is free and open to the public.

Phocus Ntayombya will speak on “The Aftermath of Genocide and the Food Security Issues in Rwanda” at 7:30 p.m. in Room 105 of the MacNaughton Building.

Ntayombya, an environmentalist and conservationist, is vice-president of UNICEF staff associations in Eastern and Southern Africa and a member of Rwanda’s National Commission for Soil Management and Conservation. He also served as general director of environment for the Government of Rwanda from 1997 to 2002. Prior to that, he was Rwanda’s director of environment and tourism.

Ntayombya earned a PhD in environmental biology from U of G in 1993. He also holds a BSc. in forestry from Uganda’s Makerere University and a master’s in environmental studies from York University.

He will also be on campus Nov. 30 meeting with U of G students and faculty. For more information, contact Isobel Lander, Office of Research, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 56904.

The Hopper Lecture is supported through an endowment from the International Development Research Centre.