By Isabelle Durant, Acting Secretary-General, UNCTAD
"A better conversation must start by acknowledging the deep human desire for dignity and human contact, and to treat it not as a distraction, but as a better way to understand each other, and to set ourselves free from what appear to be intractable oppositions. Restoring human dignity to its central place, we argue in this book, sets off a profound rethinking of economic priorities and the ways in which societies care for their members, particularly when they are in need."
I am very pleased to invite you to the 17th edition of the Prebisch Lecture, to be delivered online by Prof. Esther Duflo, Nobel laureate and renowned economist, from 4-6.00 p.m. on 15 June 2021. As we work towards UNCTAD 15 and tackle the many challenges we face during these tumultuous and trying times, let us take a moment to listen to Prof. Duflo and take her words as a source of inspiration to guide us through the heavy workload that lies ahead.
UNCTAD is delighted to welcome Prof. Duflo, the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to deliver the lecture. Her seminal work has helped improve the economic lives of the poor through better policies and her lecture will be an outstanding addition to the global dialogue on forging socioeconomic solutions that benefit people more equally.
The lecture entitled “Good economics for hard times” will focus on how countries can better address pressing socioeconomic challenges and ensure an inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The lecture will take place during the second edition of the United Nations Trade Forum to be held on 14 and 15 June. The forum is among the pre-events leading to UNCTAD 15.
Since 1982, the prestigious Raúl Prebisch lecture established by UNCTAD has offered renowned intellectuals the platform to address critical global issues. It is periodically delivered by a prominent thinker or head of state at the United Nations’ offices in Geneva but this year it will be given online due to the pandemic. Our aim is to honour the memory of our founding intellectual father, Mr. Prebisch, and to provide an UNCTAD forum for world leaders and thinkers who have stood out by way of their contributions to economic and social development.
I hope many of you will join us for the lecture by registering here. I will be happy to receive any questions you may wish to address to Prof. Duflo.
Contact person: Isabelle Valentiny, Chief of Staff, a.i. : isabelle.valentiny@un.org
