The Globe and Mail - A push for human rights

A few years ago, after retiring from a law practice, Gordon Echenberg and his wife, Penny, donated $1-million to McGill to establish regular conferences on human rights.

The first Echenberg Family Conference on Human Rights was held in 2007. It focused on genocide and featured dozens of speakers from around the world including Senator Roméo Dallaire, former leader of the UN peacekeeping force in Rwanda; Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka of Nigeria; and Juan Mendez, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.

The second conference runs from Oct. 7 to Oct. 9 and it will focus on human rights and diverse societies. Mr. Echenberg expects 300 registrants and speakers including a member of Afghanistan’s National Assembly, the solicitor-general of India, and South Africa’s chief electoral officer.

There is also a special program for 25 young leaders from 24 countries. Mr. Echenberg, who also finances a school in Cambodia, hopes the conferences will broaden the understanding of human rights to include issues such as the right to food, shelter and water.