Mary Robinson

President Mary Robinson has the acute ability to focus the global spotlight on highly important humanitarian issues. With compassion at the forefront of her politics, she has led the world with a strong ethical vision for the future.

As the first woman President of Ireland, she elevated the country to a new level of international status by fighting for controversial changes and bridging religious, social, and economic groups. President Robinson's campaign for worldwide democracy continues today with her work as president of the Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice, a center for thought leadership, education, and advocacy on the struggle for global justice. With the belief that there is a seat at the table for businesses when it comes to solving human rights, justice, and environmental issues, President Robinson is also a member of the Club of Madrid.

A courageous defender of fundamental respect for human life, President Robinson was the first woman to chair the United Nations Commission for Human Rights and is the founder of The Ethical Globalization Initiative. She tirelessly advocates for the integration of human rights, gender sensitivity, and enhanced accountability in politics. She is also on the Council of Elders (along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Jimmy Carter, and Gro Harlem Brundtland), the honorary president of Oxfam International, and Chair of the Board of the Institute of Human Rights and Business.

In 2005, President Robinson was deemed a hero and an icon and was listed as one of Time's top 100 men and women whose "power, talent, or moral example is transforming the world." In 2009, President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor—for her significant global contributions.

Working to leave the world in better condition than how she found it, President Robinson continues to lead by example, acting as a bold, determined catalyst for change.