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Nos collaborateurs
Nos collaborateur.es forment un réseau dynamique de chercheur.es, de praticien.nes et d'expert.es qui contribuent à l'approche interdisciplinaire de l'Observatoire. Leurs points de vue et leurs expériences diversifiés enrichissent notre compréhension des droits de l'homme et éclairent nos initiatives.
Cohorte 2024-2025
Philippe Larochelle
Philippe Larochelle is the founder of Larochelle Avocats and president of the International Criminal Court Bar Association.
Me. Larochelle maintains an active practice in international criminal law since 2001, representing clients before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He has also assisted groups of victims, including before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
After obtaining genocide acquittals for his clients before the ICTR and in Canada, and the release by the ICC of his most recent client, Maxime Mokom, Mr. Larochelle practices now includes a sharp focus on neglected post-acquittals matters : relocation, compensation and review. One of his ICTR pro bono mandate is that of André Ntagerura, acquitted by the ICTR in February 2004 and still trying to find an acceptable relocation plan in 2024, 20 years later.
Why pro bono? Because the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), like the ICC, continues to deprive defence lawyers of acceptable working conditions.
As the President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, he therefore intend to fight not only for his clients, victims, suspects or accused, but also for the Bar, to make sure their working conditions allow them to make no compromises for effective representation of these clients.
Me. Larochelle maintains an active practice in international criminal law since 2001, representing clients before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He has also assisted groups of victims, including before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
After obtaining genocide acquittals for his clients before the ICTR and in Canada, and the release by the ICC of his most recent client, Maxime Mokom, Mr. Larochelle practices now includes a sharp focus on neglected post-acquittals matters : relocation, compensation and review. One of his ICTR pro bono mandate is that of André Ntagerura, acquitted by the ICTR in February 2004 and still trying to find an acceptable relocation plan in 2024, 20 years later.
Why pro bono? Because the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), like the ICC, continues to deprive defence lawyers of acceptable working conditions.
As the President of the International Criminal Court Bar Association, he therefore intend to fight not only for his clients, victims, suspects or accused, but also for the Bar, to make sure their working conditions allow them to make no compromises for effective representation of these clients.
Rouguietta Touré
Rouguietta Touré is a committed leader advocating for the recognition of neurodiversity and the transformation of professional and community environments. A seasoned businesswoman and trained scientist, she brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, while actively defending the rights of autistic youth.
As the founding president of Ado-Spectrum, Rouguietta works to create spaces for growth and personal development for autistic adolescents. She advocates for an inclusive and human-centered approach to neurodiversity, rooted in empathy, understanding, and the celebration of individual strengths.
Her commitment also extends to the pharmaceutical sector, where she co-founded the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, incubated by the Association professionnelle des pharmaciens salariés du Québec (APPSQ). This committee serves as a lever for transformation toward greater equity, awareness, and inclusion of diversity in pharmacy workplaces.
Rouguietta currently holds the position of Senior National Program Manager at Pharmascience, following impactful contributions to major companies such as McKesson, McMahon, and Distribution Pharmaplus, where she helped design and launch the Horizon Santé network.
Thanks to her vision, inclusive leadership, and meaningful contributions, she was named one of Montreal’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2022 by Women We Admire.
As the founding president of Ado-Spectrum, Rouguietta works to create spaces for growth and personal development for autistic adolescents. She advocates for an inclusive and human-centered approach to neurodiversity, rooted in empathy, understanding, and the celebration of individual strengths.
Her commitment also extends to the pharmaceutical sector, where she co-founded the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, incubated by the Association professionnelle des pharmaciens salariés du Québec (APPSQ). This committee serves as a lever for transformation toward greater equity, awareness, and inclusion of diversity in pharmacy workplaces.
Rouguietta currently holds the position of Senior National Program Manager at Pharmascience, following impactful contributions to major companies such as McKesson, McMahon, and Distribution Pharmaplus, where she helped design and launch the Horizon Santé network.
Thanks to her vision, inclusive leadership, and meaningful contributions, she was named one of Montreal’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2022 by Women We Admire.
Fabrice Vil
Driven by equal opportunity, Fabrice regularly speaks out on issues that concern this ideal, notably as a columnist for La Presse, speaker and facilitator of corporate workshops. He also lent his voice to Ados et armés and Briser le code, two documentaries exploring, respectively, the issues of gun violence and racism in Quebec. As an author, he has written and published Bon gason! Konpliman ! Egare!, an autobiographical story that explores themes such as the quest for success, questions of identity, elitism and social inequality.
Fabrice is a certified coach in integral development, a lawyer by training and a former basketball coach. In 2011, he founded Pour 3 Points, an organization that transforms sports coaches into life coaches for young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fabrice is fascinated by the question of human consciousness. He hopes for people to be curious about the invisible violence in which they participate, and for them to respond to it with kindness for themselves and others.
Fabrice is a certified coach in integral development, a lawyer by training and a former basketball coach. In 2011, he founded Pour 3 Points, an organization that transforms sports coaches into life coaches for young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fabrice is fascinated by the question of human consciousness. He hopes for people to be curious about the invisible violence in which they participate, and for them to respond to it with kindness for themselves and others.
Martine Roy
Martine Roy is a prominent figure in the defense of 2SLGBTQ+ rights in Canada. With over 20 years of experience at IBM, she held several key positions, including Critical Situation Coordinator and Account Director. She stood out for her leadership in inclusion, notably by founding employee resource groups for LGBT staff and raising awareness throughout the organization about the realities faced by these communities.
She later continued her mission at TD Bank as Regional Director, 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development for Quebec and Eastern Canada, passionately pursuing her advocacy. Since 2017, she has also served as a Commissioner at the Quebec Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights (CDPDJ).
Her activism is deeply rooted in her personal history. Dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 19 due to her sexual orientation, she led the class action lawsuit that resulted in the Canadian federal government's official apology in 2017. This courageous initiative marked a turning point in the acknowledgment of the harm caused to LGBTQ+ individuals by Canadian institutions.
Martine Roy has also contributed to leading organizations: she was the co-founder and a board member of Pride at Work Canada for 10 years and served as chair of Fondation Émergence until 2015.
Her many contributions have been widely recognized: she received the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec in 2017, was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2023, and was named one of Canada’s Women of Influence in 2024. In February 2025, she was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34 Canadian Brigade Group, and in March, she received the Veterans Affairs Minister’s Commendation.
A true leader in workplace inclusion and a tireless advocate for human rights, Martine Roy continues to inspire and transform professional and community spaces across the country.
She later continued her mission at TD Bank as Regional Director, 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development for Quebec and Eastern Canada, passionately pursuing her advocacy. Since 2017, she has also served as a Commissioner at the Quebec Commission on Human Rights and Youth Rights (CDPDJ).
Her activism is deeply rooted in her personal history. Dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 19 due to her sexual orientation, she led the class action lawsuit that resulted in the Canadian federal government's official apology in 2017. This courageous initiative marked a turning point in the acknowledgment of the harm caused to LGBTQ+ individuals by Canadian institutions.
Martine Roy has also contributed to leading organizations: she was the co-founder and a board member of Pride at Work Canada for 10 years and served as chair of Fondation Émergence until 2015.
Her many contributions have been widely recognized: she received the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec in 2017, was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2023, and was named one of Canada’s Women of Influence in 2024. In February 2025, she was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34 Canadian Brigade Group, and in March, she received the Veterans Affairs Minister’s Commendation.
A true leader in workplace inclusion and a tireless advocate for human rights, Martine Roy continues to inspire and transform professional and community spaces across the country.
David Eliot
David is an AI researcher, author, and entrepreneur. A PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa, he studies the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. His research has earned numerous awards, including the prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation PhD Scholarship. His research and authorship are guided by a commitment to ensuring that technological change benefits all members of society. Alongside his academic research, David is a fierce advocate for the rights of people with learning disabilities/differences, and currently serves on the board of governors for Dyslexia Canada. David himself is dyslexic and benefited from an early diagnosis and a robust support network. He became involved in dyslexia advocacy to ensure that every dyslexic child receives the same supports he did so that they may achieve their fullest potential, and to help end the stigma associated with learning disabilities.
Alicia Smith
Alicia Smith is the Executive Director of Dyslexia Canada and past President of the International Dyslexia Association Ontario.
Identified with dyslexia in high school, Alicia experienced firsthand the stigma, fear, and silence that often surround learning differences. Years later, when her first child was identified with dyslexia, she confronted the challenges of navigating the education system to secure the support her child needed. That experience fueled her commitment to systemic change.
Alicia believes that seamless access to effective instruction, intervention, and support within the public education system is a human right. She works to make systemic issues visible to decision makers by combining data, research, and lived experience. Alongside parents, educators, and local organizations, she advocates for policy change and has supported multiple human rights commissions in investigating the issues. Alicia now collaborates with ministries of education across Canada as they examine and update policies to strengthen reading instruction and support for students.
Identified with dyslexia in high school, Alicia experienced firsthand the stigma, fear, and silence that often surround learning differences. Years later, when her first child was identified with dyslexia, she confronted the challenges of navigating the education system to secure the support her child needed. That experience fueled her commitment to systemic change.
Alicia believes that seamless access to effective instruction, intervention, and support within the public education system is a human right. She works to make systemic issues visible to decision makers by combining data, research, and lived experience. Alongside parents, educators, and local organizations, she advocates for policy change and has supported multiple human rights commissions in investigating the issues. Alicia now collaborates with ministries of education across Canada as they examine and update policies to strengthen reading instruction and support for students.
Jamie Michaels
Jamie Michaels, a collaborator at the Observatory on Human Rights at the UN, is a doctoral candidate and instructor at the University of Calgary. His research utilizes popular mediums such as comics, animations, and films to expand important conversations about politics and human rights in new and surprising ways. His dissertation presents the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in comic book form, showcasing both the Jewish and Arab perspectives of these events.
His creative practice has received the Norma Epstein Foundation Biennial Award in Creative Writing (National), the Harold Greenberg Fund Shorts-to-Features Award, and the Joe Shuster Award for Excellence in Comics Creation. Jamie has a longstanding belief in the power of culture to foster generative social change. He is a contributor to the Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, the Symposium on Canadian Comics, the International Comics Arts Forum, and the Earth System Governance Project.
Jamie is a Killam Laureate (2021-2023), Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar (2022-2025), Fellow of the Calgary Institute for the Humanities (2024-2025), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow (2026-2028). His contributions to human rights have been recognized by Historica Canada, The President for the Academy of the Arts and the Humanities for the Royal Society of Canada, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
His creative practice has received the Norma Epstein Foundation Biennial Award in Creative Writing (National), the Harold Greenberg Fund Shorts-to-Features Award, and the Joe Shuster Award for Excellence in Comics Creation. Jamie has a longstanding belief in the power of culture to foster generative social change. He is a contributor to the Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities, the Symposium on Canadian Comics, the International Comics Arts Forum, and the Earth System Governance Project.
Jamie is a Killam Laureate (2021-2023), Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Scholar (2022-2025), Fellow of the Calgary Institute for the Humanities (2024-2025), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow (2026-2028). His contributions to human rights have been recognized by Historica Canada, The President for the Academy of the Arts and the Humanities for the Royal Society of Canada, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Jill Bobula
Jill Bobula is a graduate of McGill University in Psychology and a passionate advocate for mental and neurological health in children. She currently serves as President of Canadian Regional Community Service and President of Tourette Ottawa Connection, and has spoken widely through the Tourette Canada.
As an author, Jill has created a series of 8 books, WE ARE POWERFUL, that celebrate neurodiversity—Forgetful Frankie (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), Quite Quiet Hannah (Dyslexia), Eager Eddy (ADHD), Dinosaur Diego (Asperger’s Syndrome), Ticcing Thomas (Tourette Syndrome), Sad Sad Seth (Depression), Anxious Annie (Anxiety & OCD), and Daydreaming Dakota (ADD) —written to educate and inspire young readers with empathy and clarity.
Guided by her entrepreneurial spirit, Jill combines creativity, leadership, and innovation in all her work—whether leading organizations, publishing impactful stories, or advancing conversations around inclusion and mental wellness.
As an author, Jill has created a series of 8 books, WE ARE POWERFUL, that celebrate neurodiversity—Forgetful Frankie (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), Quite Quiet Hannah (Dyslexia), Eager Eddy (ADHD), Dinosaur Diego (Asperger’s Syndrome), Ticcing Thomas (Tourette Syndrome), Sad Sad Seth (Depression), Anxious Annie (Anxiety & OCD), and Daydreaming Dakota (ADD) —written to educate and inspire young readers with empathy and clarity.
Guided by her entrepreneurial spirit, Jill combines creativity, leadership, and innovation in all her work—whether leading organizations, publishing impactful stories, or advancing conversations around inclusion and mental wellness.
Rabbi Alex Goldberg
Rabbi Alex Goldberg is a barrister, chaplain, and human rights activist. He is currently the Dean of the College of Chaplains and Coordinating Chaplain at the University of Surrey. He is the only rabbi within this role in Europe. He is currently working on a number of international and UK-based community relations and community development projects and is the Jewish chaplain to the University of Surrey. Alex regularly co-hosts a BBC radio show, a contributor to BBC Radio 2's Pause For Thought and was a member of the BBC's Religion and Ethics Conference.
He chairs the English Football Association's Faith Network and founded the human rights group René Cassin.
He was founding chair of Faiths Forum for London and the Mayor of London's Faith Conference. He has been a led a delegation to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade where he successfully changed international law in relation to group access to justice. In 2012, he was an Olympic and Paralympic Chaplain.
He chairs the English Football Association's Faith Network and founded the human rights group René Cassin.
He was founding chair of Faiths Forum for London and the Mayor of London's Faith Conference. He has been a led a delegation to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade where he successfully changed international law in relation to group access to justice. In 2012, he was an Olympic and Paralympic Chaplain.
Dr. Boumédiène Benyahia
Dr. Boumédiène Benyahia is an internationally recognized expert and thought leader in the fields of Islam in Europe, peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and human rights. With a career dedicated to fostering understanding and countering extremism, Dr. Benyahia has made significant contributions through his research, advocacy, and community engagement.
Dr. Benyahia's extensive affiliations underscore his diverse expertise. He serves as an expert observer for the NGO FoRB Geneva, an international associate expert with UNCR University & CRN, and a scientific expert for the Groupe de Réflexion de la GMP, focusing on the adaptation of Muslim religious discourse in France. His involvement in the European Project PARTES, the “Prix Mare Nostrum 2024” jury, the Framework “Faith for Rights, HCDH,” and the EU Project IN2PREV demonstrates his commitment to collaborative, international efforts.
As the founder of the Institut de la Parole en ligne, Dr. Benyahia provides a platform for insightful discussions on Islamic thought and contemporary issues. His role as an Ambassador for Peace with the Universal Peace Federation further exemplifies his dedication to promoting peaceful coexistence. His previous tenure as Secretary-General of the Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland highlights his leadership in community-based initiatives.
Dr. Benyahia's academic background includes a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Administration of World Peace from UNCR University and a Diploma in "Law, Republic and Religions" from the Faculté Jean Monnet at the Université de Paris Sud. He also holds a Master II Recherches in "Arab, Muslim and Semitic Worlds" from the Université de Provence.
Dr. Benyahia’s expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including the fabric of violence, counter-discourse strategies, the rights of religious minorities, ethics, and spiritual diplomacy. His skills include global expertise and development, peace administration strategies, pedagogical programming, and the ability to provide expert reports to religious and public institutions. Fluent in French, English, and Arabic, Dr. Benyahia is a sought-after speaker and consultant, contributing to numerous international conferences and media outlets. His work continues to bridge cultural divides and promote a more inclusive and peaceful world.
Dr. Benyahia's extensive affiliations underscore his diverse expertise. He serves as an expert observer for the NGO FoRB Geneva, an international associate expert with UNCR University & CRN, and a scientific expert for the Groupe de Réflexion de la GMP, focusing on the adaptation of Muslim religious discourse in France. His involvement in the European Project PARTES, the “Prix Mare Nostrum 2024” jury, the Framework “Faith for Rights, HCDH,” and the EU Project IN2PREV demonstrates his commitment to collaborative, international efforts.
As the founder of the Institut de la Parole en ligne, Dr. Benyahia provides a platform for insightful discussions on Islamic thought and contemporary issues. His role as an Ambassador for Peace with the Universal Peace Federation further exemplifies his dedication to promoting peaceful coexistence. His previous tenure as Secretary-General of the Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland highlights his leadership in community-based initiatives.
Dr. Benyahia's academic background includes a Doctorate Honoris Causa in Administration of World Peace from UNCR University and a Diploma in "Law, Republic and Religions" from the Faculté Jean Monnet at the Université de Paris Sud. He also holds a Master II Recherches in "Arab, Muslim and Semitic Worlds" from the Université de Provence.
Dr. Benyahia’s expertise encompasses a wide range of areas, including the fabric of violence, counter-discourse strategies, the rights of religious minorities, ethics, and spiritual diplomacy. His skills include global expertise and development, peace administration strategies, pedagogical programming, and the ability to provide expert reports to religious and public institutions. Fluent in French, English, and Arabic, Dr. Benyahia is a sought-after speaker and consultant, contributing to numerous international conferences and media outlets. His work continues to bridge cultural divides and promote a more inclusive and peaceful world.
Dr. Caroline Leblanc
Caroline Leblanc, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher dedicated to defending the rights and dignity of individuals living in situations of exclusion. Grounded in a critical perspective informed by social justice, she examines institutional practices, public policies, and systemic structures that sustain oppression and marginalization. Her work focuses particularly on the experiences of street-involved individuals, who are too often rendered invisible in public spaces and excluded from decisions that directly impact their lives. With a multidisciplinary background, Caroline holds a master’s degree in social work and a doctorate in community health from the Université de Sherbrooke. She has received numerous scholarships and awards in recognition of her social commitment and the excellence of her work. Currently, she leads a partnership-based research project on mortality in the context of homelessness in Quebec. In addition, Caroline serves as a consultant, supporting community and public organizations in meaningfully engaging people experiencing homelessness in the co-construction of knowledge and in developing inclusive, human rights-based practices. Caroline brings a collaborative and transformative vision to her work, aiming to foster living conditions that uphold the right to dignity, security, and justice for people living in situations of exclusion.
Yann Toma
Born in 1969, lives and works in Paris and New York.
Yann Toma, an artist and researcher, is an artist-observer residing at the UN permanently. He places his work and reflection at the frontier of artistic and civic expression. He puts it in the context of current political and media events. Both artist and life president of the Ouest-Lumière company, he has been developing the Energie Artistique (EA) concept since 1991. Since 1991, he has reinvested the reactivated memory of the former Ouest-Lumière electricity company to create a symbolic network dedicated to producing and disseminating artistic energy. He is involved in issues of climate change and energy, in which the artist engages in processes of revelation and takes a stand with his body, making contact with certain hidden and open senses that the public itself can pick up on but which it continually loses sight of as a result of its conditioning, notably by failing to perceive the masses of natural influxes that ensure our relationship with nature. He is also a co-founder of the Maximalism movement.
His works, held in prestigious collections such as the Centre Pompidou and the Neuflize’s Bank, question the notion of energy, the impact of art on society, and the importance of ethics. His projects involve a shared production process, with the public playing a crucial role in generating the artwork and redistributing energy between artist and viewer.
Yann Toma, an artist and researcher, is an artist-observer residing at the UN permanently. He places his work and reflection at the frontier of artistic and civic expression. He puts it in the context of current political and media events. Both artist and life president of the Ouest-Lumière company, he has been developing the Energie Artistique (EA) concept since 1991. Since 1991, he has reinvested the reactivated memory of the former Ouest-Lumière electricity company to create a symbolic network dedicated to producing and disseminating artistic energy. He is involved in issues of climate change and energy, in which the artist engages in processes of revelation and takes a stand with his body, making contact with certain hidden and open senses that the public itself can pick up on but which it continually loses sight of as a result of its conditioning, notably by failing to perceive the masses of natural influxes that ensure our relationship with nature. He is also a co-founder of the Maximalism movement.
His works, held in prestigious collections such as the Centre Pompidou and the Neuflize’s Bank, question the notion of energy, the impact of art on society, and the importance of ethics. His projects involve a shared production process, with the public playing a crucial role in generating the artwork and redistributing energy between artist and viewer.
Roxane Saumier
Roxane Saumier, Executive Director of Collège Nouvelles Frontières, is a trained French teacher. With over fifteen years of management experience, she brings a visionary, proactive, and strategic approach, always focused on student success. She notably led the implementation of the Victoria Program, designed to support students with unique learning profiles. Deeply convinced that every child deserves support in reaching their full potential, she acts with both rigor and compassion to create an inclusive and stimulating educational environment.
Dr. Mario Aguilar
Mario I Aguilar is Professor of Religion and Politics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and founding Director of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics (CSRP) at the same university. He studied philosophy in his native Chile and later theology at KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) in Belgium. After serving as Director of Save the Children Fund (Canada) in Kenya/Somalia he was trained in social anthropology, history of African and African legal systems at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London where he completed his PhD on Oromo systems of thought and conversion to Islam within the relations between Kenya/Somalia in colonial times and the Somali Civil War. In 1994 he started work in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the extension of genocides with his works: Being Oromo in Kenya (1998), Theology, Liberation and Genocide (2009) and his work on 22 Truth Commissions including South Africa, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Argentina.
On rights and constitutionalism, he has worked on the constitutions of Kenya, Uganda, Somaliland, Morocco, Algeria, and India and has proposed the absolute primacy of law in the prevention of genocide, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Thus, he had examined historically ethnic and political violence in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, see his work Interreligious Dialogue and the Partition of India (2018). In his later work he has been closely associated with Vatican efforts for peace and dialogue, human rights and migrations, genocide and violence in Iraq and the Yazidi genocide, see the XIV Dalai Lama: Peacekeeping and Universal responsibility (2021), Pope Francis: Journeys of a Peacemaker (2022), and Nadia Murad: Yazidi and World Peacemaker (2025).
He is the international coordinator of the project “Burying the Dead” on topologies of dead, inhumations and the movement of tombs in Colombia, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Somalia, and the Commonwealth Cemeteries. He is the editor of the Bulletin of Vatican Diplomacy. His next book will be a biography of Pope Leo XIV. He has been a diplomat for Chile and advisor to the British Foreign Secretary on the consultation on sexual violence in war.
On rights and constitutionalism, he has worked on the constitutions of Kenya, Uganda, Somaliland, Morocco, Algeria, and India and has proposed the absolute primacy of law in the prevention of genocide, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Thus, he had examined historically ethnic and political violence in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, see his work Interreligious Dialogue and the Partition of India (2018). In his later work he has been closely associated with Vatican efforts for peace and dialogue, human rights and migrations, genocide and violence in Iraq and the Yazidi genocide, see the XIV Dalai Lama: Peacekeeping and Universal responsibility (2021), Pope Francis: Journeys of a Peacemaker (2022), and Nadia Murad: Yazidi and World Peacemaker (2025).
He is the international coordinator of the project “Burying the Dead” on topologies of dead, inhumations and the movement of tombs in Colombia, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Somalia, and the Commonwealth Cemeteries. He is the editor of the Bulletin of Vatican Diplomacy. His next book will be a biography of Pope Leo XIV. He has been a diplomat for Chile and advisor to the British Foreign Secretary on the consultation on sexual violence in war.
Dr. Havva Guney-Ruebenacker
Dr. Havva Guney-Ruebenacker is a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School where she teaches Comparative Family Law. She specializes in American family law, Islamic law and comparative law, and works as a consultant and expert witness in divorce litigation matters involving spousal support, marital property and child custody issues.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker’s received her S.J.D from Harvard Law School and her doctoral research is focused on classical Islamic law and modern Islamic legal reforms in the areas of slavery and family law with a comparative examination of modernization of American family law in the area of no-fault divorce and its economic consequences. In her book manuscript, Towards Islamic Legal Realism: Rethinking Slavery, Marriage and Divorce in Islamic Law, she develops a new Islamic legal critique that challenges the legitimacy of both slavery and women’s inequality in traditional Islamic law, advances a new theory for a universal abolition of slavery in Islamic law and offers a concrete reform proposal to achieve women’s equality in divorce and post-divorce property rights in Islamic law.
As a Visiting Assistant Professor at Boston University Law School, Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker taught Comparative Family Law and Islamic Law. She also served as a Graduate Fellow at Oxford Center for Islamic Studies at University of Oxford and at Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. She was a Visiting Fellow at the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School and an Associate Research Scholar at the Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization at Yale Law School.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker studied both major schools of Islamic law, the Sunni and the Shia, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where she graduated from a special Qur’anic studies high school (Madrasat Tahfidh al-Qur’an al-Karim) and received a B.A in Law from the University of Tehran in Iran. She holds an LLM degree from Harvard and an LLM in European Union law and European legal history from University of Cambridge. She is fluent in Turkish, Arabic, and Farsi.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker’s received her S.J.D from Harvard Law School and her doctoral research is focused on classical Islamic law and modern Islamic legal reforms in the areas of slavery and family law with a comparative examination of modernization of American family law in the area of no-fault divorce and its economic consequences. In her book manuscript, Towards Islamic Legal Realism: Rethinking Slavery, Marriage and Divorce in Islamic Law, she develops a new Islamic legal critique that challenges the legitimacy of both slavery and women’s inequality in traditional Islamic law, advances a new theory for a universal abolition of slavery in Islamic law and offers a concrete reform proposal to achieve women’s equality in divorce and post-divorce property rights in Islamic law.
As a Visiting Assistant Professor at Boston University Law School, Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker taught Comparative Family Law and Islamic Law. She also served as a Graduate Fellow at Oxford Center for Islamic Studies at University of Oxford and at Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. She was a Visiting Fellow at the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School and an Associate Research Scholar at the Kamel Center for the Study of Islamic Law and Civilization at Yale Law School.
Dr. Guney-Ruebenacker studied both major schools of Islamic law, the Sunni and the Shia, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where she graduated from a special Qur’anic studies high school (Madrasat Tahfidh al-Qur’an al-Karim) and received a B.A in Law from the University of Tehran in Iran. She holds an LLM degree from Harvard and an LLM in European Union law and European legal history from University of Cambridge. She is fluent in Turkish, Arabic, and Farsi.
Marie-Ève Brunet Kitchen
Marie-Ève Brunet Kitchen has been dedicated for nearly 20 years to defending the interests of children and families in Quebec. Unanimously appointed by the National Assembly as the first Commissioner for the Well-Being and Rights of Children in April 2025, she is now focused on creating this institution, which has the mandate to promote the well-being and respect of children’s rights and to ensure the protection of children’s interests in Quebec.
Co-founder of the "La Station" intergenerational center in Nun's Island, former municipal elected official, and senior leader of non-profit organizations, she began her career working on school perseverance and crime prevention in Montreal.
Elected as a municipal councilor in Montreal from 2013 to 2017, she led numerous initiatives in favor of the city’s youth, notably creating the first “Youth Councils in boroughs” and supporting children’s voices during the celebrations for Montreal’s 375th anniversary. She also undertook a unifying effort to change the realities faced by politicians in balancing family and work life, leading to historic legislative change regarding the lack of parental leave for municipal elected officials.
As head of the Quebec Federation of Family Community Organizations from 2018 to 2021, she enhanced the organization’s visibility, solidified its expert status, and significantly increased funding for all family community organizations in Quebec. She then joined the Association of Intermediate Housing Resources of Quebec, where she led a large strategic consultation resulting in a revision of the internal structure and a repositioning in its government relations.
From 2022 to 2025, she was principal consultant at Centraide of Greater Montreal, supporting senior management in a strategic transformation leading to a new position on societal influence. She was also appointed by the federal government to the Advisory Committee on Federal Judicial Appointments.
Marie-Ève has served on several boards of directors, including those of the CIUSSS of Centre-South of the Island of Montreal and Tourisme Montréal, and has chaired Théâtre de la LNI, Concertation Montréal, and TANDEM. Winner of the 2022 Grand Prize for Emerging Business Leaders (director category) and finalist in the 2021 Arista competition, she was also recognized by Châtelaine magazine as an inspiring woman for her contribution to improving access for youth and women to politics.
Co-founder of the "La Station" intergenerational center in Nun's Island, former municipal elected official, and senior leader of non-profit organizations, she began her career working on school perseverance and crime prevention in Montreal.
Elected as a municipal councilor in Montreal from 2013 to 2017, she led numerous initiatives in favor of the city’s youth, notably creating the first “Youth Councils in boroughs” and supporting children’s voices during the celebrations for Montreal’s 375th anniversary. She also undertook a unifying effort to change the realities faced by politicians in balancing family and work life, leading to historic legislative change regarding the lack of parental leave for municipal elected officials.
As head of the Quebec Federation of Family Community Organizations from 2018 to 2021, she enhanced the organization’s visibility, solidified its expert status, and significantly increased funding for all family community organizations in Quebec. She then joined the Association of Intermediate Housing Resources of Quebec, where she led a large strategic consultation resulting in a revision of the internal structure and a repositioning in its government relations.
From 2022 to 2025, she was principal consultant at Centraide of Greater Montreal, supporting senior management in a strategic transformation leading to a new position on societal influence. She was also appointed by the federal government to the Advisory Committee on Federal Judicial Appointments.
Marie-Ève has served on several boards of directors, including those of the CIUSSS of Centre-South of the Island of Montreal and Tourisme Montréal, and has chaired Théâtre de la LNI, Concertation Montréal, and TANDEM. Winner of the 2022 Grand Prize for Emerging Business Leaders (director category) and finalist in the 2021 Arista competition, she was also recognized by Châtelaine magazine as an inspiring woman for her contribution to improving access for youth and women to politics.
Cohorte 2024-2025
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