Alumnus Edwin Gonzalez from Nicaragua was invited by the Norwegian MFA and Red Cross to attend the Oslo Review Conference, on the prohibition of the use and destruction of personnel mines, which took place between 25-29 November 2019.

While we are still awaiting the final outcome of the event, Edwin, himself a land mine survivor, was uplifted by this experience. “I am impressed with how people from many sectors have come together to tackle the problems created by the garbage of war. It takes a lot of resources, willpower and know-how to take up the battle against these destructive forces. But what encourages me most is to see the shift from a land-based focus to a human focus. After all it is the concern for human beings we are fighting for. I leave Oslo with strengthened hope.”

Our annual Thor Heyerdahl lecture was delivered by Lizzie Daly today. What a way to start the day! Lizzie told about her work as conservationist and communicator with wildlife all over the globe. Lizzie has worked as a presenter on National Geographic, BBC and Animal Planet. Her lecture was very much in the spirit of Thor Heyerdahl in building a bridge between scientific understanding and reaching wider audiences. During her visit, Lizzie also engaged with students during hikes, she gave a workshop on human-wildlife conflicts and conservation and enriched our Geography and Biology classes.