On November 22, 2023, a public lecture on the topic «Humanitarian aid and global responsible leadership in international relations» was held by Elizabeth Lahiff, program director of Alight in Ukraine, an expert in international law and development, recovery and reintegration.
Elizabeth Lahiff’s professional activity is related to the development of markets, support of employment and public-private partnerships in the regions of the Pacific Ocean, Latin America and the Middle East. Her global experience spans several areas, including economic recovery, strengthening market systems and legal norms, with a particular focus on inclusive development in conflict-affected regions and countries. The speaker led powerful programs in Afghanistan for the Aga Khan Foundation and market development initiatives in Bangladesh through USAID’s Feed the Future Activity project. Currently, as Program Director of Alight in Ukraine, Mz. Lahiff focuses on mental health and psychosocial support issues in education, healthcare and the private sector.
During her speech, the speaker revealed a number of topical issues of the international agenda, such as influences on modern global politics, humanitarian aid and development initiatives, responsible leadership in international relations and its main dimensions (localization, sustainability, climate-smart programs, public-private partnerships). Also, Elizabeth Lahiff outlined the current trends in global politics and their influences through the prism of three integral components:
- trade (trade agreements, economic diplomacy, sanctions and embargoes);
- human rights and democracy (compliance with the law, anti-corruption, free and fair elections);
- security (dynamics of global security, counterterrorism, peacekeeping).
The speaker summarized that the long-term result of humanitarian aid and responsible leadership depends on several key aspects:
- local government (empowerment and sustainability, cultural alignment, international influence);
- resilience (building adaptive capacity, risk management, global challenges and local solutions);
- cooperation and partnership (multilateral approaches, common goals and strategies, mobilization of resources and expertise).
Mz. Khaliff also represented specific case studies of humanitarian aid provision by specific actors of international relations (EU, USA, Germany) using the examples of school education in the emergency situation in Iraq, market-oriented workplaces for the sake of peace in Afghanistan, grain system initiative in Bangladesh. Each case of humanitarian aid is focused on a long-term result. Thus, in the case of emergency education in Iraq, it means quick access to education as well as employment opportunities recognized by the government.
58 people, including students of various majors at Lviv Polytechnic, teaching staff, and members of the EU_LEAD project, attended Elizabeth Khaliff’s lecture. The youth of the University were interested in issues of volunteering and humanitarian aid in international relations, key differences in the implementation of international humanitarian aid programs in certain countries, as well as specific projects that are already being implemented in Ukraine with the support of Alight.
The event was held within the framework of the project «EU Global Responsible Leadership: Climate Change, Environmental Protection and Humanitarian Aid» (EU_LEAD), which is implemented with the support of the EU Erasmus+ programme directed by Jean Monnet. More detailed information about EU_LEAD can be found on the project website on the Lviv Polytechnic Portal.
