Scilla Elworthy

Scilla Elworthy (born June 3, 1943 in Galashiels , Scotland ) is the founder of the Oxford Research Group .

From 1982 to 2003 she was the managing director of this non-governmental organization , which advocates a dialogue between politicians from nuclear powers and their critics. She is a member of the World Future Council and the International Task Force on Preventive Diplomacy . She is also the author of several books and co-organizer of the World Peace Festival, which took place in Berlin in August 2011.

Scilla Elworthy has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize; In 2003 she received the Niwano Peace Prize for her work with the Oxford Research Group .

Life

After receiving a scholarship from the Berkhamsted School for Girls, she studied social sciences at Trinity College, Dublin, from 1962 . During the semester break she worked in refugee camps in France and Algiers . After graduating, she traveled through West and South Africa and between 1966 and 1969 ran marketing for various boutiques, including Mary Quant . In 1970 she married the South African entrepreneur Murray McLean, with whom she has a daughter. In 1993 she received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Bradford .

Organizations and start-ups

From 1970–76 she was chairwoman of KUPUGANI, a South African organization for nutrition education. In 1976 she helped organize the construction and opening of South Africa's first multi-ethnic theater, the Market Theater in Johannesburg . In 1977 she founded the Minority Rights Group in France and in 1978 produced its report on female genital cutting , which eventually led to the WHO campaign against the practice. From 1979–81 she worked as a consultant for women's issues at UNESCO and during this time wrote the UNESCO contribution to the UN women's conference in 1980: The role of women in peace research, peace education and the improvement of relations between nations (“Die Rolle der Woman in Peace Research, Peace Education and Improving Relations between Nations ”).

In 1982 she founded the Oxford Research Group (ORG), an independent non-governmental organization that researches decision-making processes on safety issues in the five largest nuclear powers and brings together policy makers, academics, the military and representatives of civil society for dialogue. Elworthy was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize due to her work with the ORG and received the Niwano Peace Prize in 2003 . She was managing director of the ORG until 2003 and is still a member of the board of trustees.

In 2003 Elworthy resigned as managing director of the ORG to found the new charity Peace Direct , which supports peacemakers at the local level in conflict areas. Peace Direct was named Best New Charity at the 2005 London Charity Awards , and after retiring from day-to-day work, Elworthy is still on the Board of Trustees.

In 2002 she brought out a production called Transforming September 11th (roughly: "To change September 11th") at the Royal Opera House in London . In 2004 she provided the material for the production of Talking to Terrorists at the Royal Court Theater , and in 2007 her case study on the siege of Fallujah in Iraq served as the basis for the production of the same name at the Old Truman Brewery in London.

The Elders

After lecturing extensively around the world and having made many radio and television appearances over the past 20 years, her work has lately been less publicized as she advised Richard Branson , Desmond Tutu and Peter Gabriel on the creation of The Elders , “an independent group global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela , who offer their shared influence and experience to aid peacebuilding, help address the root causes of human suffering, and advance the common interests of humanity. "

Current

Elworthy currently lives in England and is an advisor to the World Council of the Future , an independent international organization founded in 2004 that focuses on the major challenges of today's global society. She is co-organizer of the World Peace Festival, which took place in Berlin in August 2011. She also works in a course for raising awareness and conflict transformation, which is aimed at working professionals in middle management and at the Saïd Business School of Oxford University is to take place.

Publications

Elworthy is the author, co-author, and editor of numerous reports, articles, and books. She has published in German:

• Power & Sex. The feminine principle and the power to change. Ariston-Verlag, Kreuzlingen / Munich 1997, ISBN 3-7205-1973-2 ; Paperback edition: The female principle. The power to change. Droemer Knaur, Munich 1999, ISBN 3-426-77406-2
• With gentle power. From inner peace to world peace. Hugendubel, Kreuzlingen / Munich 1999, ISBN 3-7205-2085-4
• Tools For Peace (in preparation)

Web links

• Homepage of Scilla Elworthy (Engl.)
• Oxford Research Group (Engl.)
• World Future Council (Engl.)
• Peace Direct
• The Elders (Engl.)