Keynote Addresses 2009: Anastasia Crickley and The Hon. Pius Nkonzo Langa
The Keynote speakers at the opening session of 16th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, 4 October 2009, have devoted their careers to the cause of human rights. Anastasia Crickley, Chair of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency, is Head of the Department of Applied Social Studies at National University of Ireland Maynooth, which plays a leading role in education and training for social justice and rights work. The Honourable Mr Justice Pius Nkonzo Langa has just concluded his term as Chief Justice of the South Africa Constitutional Court.
Professor Crickley opened her remarks with a tribute to…
Anastasia Crickley
The Center was most pleased to receive Anastasia Crickley, current Chair of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency, as a keynote speaker at the Opening Session of the 16th Annual Law and Religion Symposium at Brigham Young University on 4 October 2009. The address is available for viewing here.
Anastasia is Head of the Department of Applied Social Studies at National University of Ireland Maynooth, which plays a leading role in education and training for social justice and rights work. She was Chairperson of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) until December 2008 and is a founder member of the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas and of the Migrants Rights Centre Ireland. She has long been involved in work with Travellers in Ireland through Pavee Point (National Travellers Centre), which she co-founded and chairs, as well as other groups including the National Traveller Women’s Forum. Anastasia has been involved with community and local development both through the work in NUIM and as a board member of ADM and Pobal, where she played an active role in the development of equality initiatives and was part of the first joint cross border management group for the Peace and Reconciliation Programme. She was appointed to the Council of State by Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, for the period 2004-2011.
Anastasia was Personal Representative of the Chair in Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination from 2004-2008. She is actively involved with Council of Europe and United Nations initiatives in the fields of human rights and discrimination. The Center was honored that Anastasia was able to be with us in Provo for the 2009 International Law and Religion Symposium.
Honourable Mr Justice Pius Nkonzo Langa
The Center was honored to receive the Hon. Pius Nkonzo Langa, Chief Justice of the South African Constitutional Court, as a keynote speaker at the Opening Session of the 16th Annual Law and Religion Symposium held at Brigham Young University on 4 October 2009. The address, which was streamed live through ICLRS website, is available for viewing here.
In October 1994, Pius Langa was one of 11 judges appointed by Nelson Mandela to the new post-apartheid Constitutional Court of South Africa. He became Deputy President of the Court in 1997, Deputy Chief Justice in 2001, and in June 2005 he was appointed South Africa’s Chief Justice and head of the Constitutional Court. A lifelong guide to youth and champion of the cause of the underprivileged, Justice Langa has received much recognition and numerous awards for his work in advancing justice and human rights, culminating in the bestowal, on 22 April 2008, of the Order of the Supreme Counsellor of the Baobab: Gold.
Pius Langa began his education in private high school study and took bachelor’s and law degrees by long-distance learning. He began his working life in a shirt factory and later worked as an interpreter and messenger for the Department of Justice. He has now received honorary doctorate degrees from the Universities of Zululand, Western Cape, Cape Town, Unisa, Rhodes, the National University of Ireland, Yale, and Northeastern University, Boston. He served as distinguished visiting professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and as Chancellor of the University of Natal. Throughout his life, he has participated in countless ceremonies, conferences, workshops, seminars, and delegations, has served on countless trusts, boards, councils, and committees. He played important roles in democracy and constitutional projects in Lesotho, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Tanzania, Cameroon, and Bangalore. The Center is indeed grateful that Justice Langa was able to travel to Provo to participate in the 2009 International Law and Religion Symposium.