On behalf of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Politics and International Relations, we invite you to a special guest lecture delivered by United Nations Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Thursday, 18 June 2026, 1700-1800 at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
The evening marks the conclusion of the inaugural Peace and Security Fellowship, a collaborative programme delivered by the University of Oxford and the United Nations Department of Peace Operations in May and June. The programme has brought serving UN practitioners to Oxford to undertake policy-relevant research on peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and political missions.
Drawing on his experience leading the Department of Peace Operations, Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix will offer a broad reflection on what it takes to build and sustain peace in today's global landscape. He will examine the political drivers of conflict and instability, the primacy of peacemaking and political processes, and the strategic patience that peace actually demands. He will also address the diverse forms that peace operations can take, the respective roles of Member States and the United Nations in this shared endeavour, and the United Nations' unique responsibility to bridge the gap between the urgency of politics and the long-term commitment that stability requires.
Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix is the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. Mr. Lacroix brings to the position over 25 years of political and diplomatic experience, with a focus on multilateral organizations, and on United Nations activities and programmes. Mr. Lacroix served from 2014 to 2017 as Director for United Nations, International Organizations, Human Rights and Francophonie at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His previous appointments include Ambassador of France to Sweden, Chief of Protocol of France, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in New York, Deputy Chief of Mission at the French Embassy in Prague and First Secretary then Second Counsellor at the French Embassy in Washington. He also served as Advisor at the Cabinet of the French Prime Minister. Full bio: https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/leadership/office-of-under-secretary-general.
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday 18th of June at the Natural History Museum.
