Nationality Canadian Occupation diplomat, academic | Name Lucie Edwards Role Diplomat | |
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Known for her mission's humanitarian work during the civil war in Rwanda; Education Harvard University, Trent University | ||
Lucie Edwards is a Canadian diplomat, who worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development from 1976 to 2009, as the high commissioner to India, South Africa, Kenya and permanent representative to the United Nations Environmental program. She founded the Global Issues Bureau and served as assistant deputy minister for Corporate Services in Ottawa. She received the Public Service Award of Excellence in 1995 for her humanitarian work during the Rwanda genocide and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence from the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2009. Lucie Edwards has over 20 years of experience representing Canada at the United Nations and regional development agencies. Her interests include good governance, food security, poverty alleviation, primary health care and sustainable development. Today, she can be found working at the crossroads of science, the environment, and international development as part of her doctoral dissertation in Global Governance at the University of Waterloo(2009–present). She is also the Ashley Fellow 2011 at Trent University.
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Education
She was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She was a contestant on Reach for the Top and valedictorian of her graduating class at Laurentian High School in Ottawa, Ontario.
In recognition of exceptional academic and extracurricular achievement, she was a recipient of the prestigious Champlain Scholarship at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. As an ungraduate student backpacking around the Middle East, her bus was hijacked in Lebanon. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Economics and History Honours, from Trent University in 1976. She took the Foreign Affairs Officer's exam initially because she thought it would be good practice for the law school entrance exam. She accepted a job offer on the Middle East desk at the Department of External now Foreign Affairs in 1976. She earned a Masters in Public Administration from John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1984. Lucie Edwards married Thomas Roach (BA, Trent University, 1970) in 1979.
Career
As a Canadian public servant and diplomat, Lucie Edwards has held various roles. In 1976, Lucie Edwards was one of five women who joined the Department of External Affairs (DEA), now the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Honours
Ms. Edwards was awarded the 2009 Award of Excellence—Lifetime Achievement Award for her career in the Foreign Service. In 1995, Lucie Edwards received the Public Service Award of Excellence, the Public Service’s highest award, for her mission's humanitarian work during the civil war in Rwanda. She received the Merit Award, 1994 for consular operations in Rwanda, Department of Foreign Affairs. She was awarded the Merit Award, 1989 for human rights work in South Africa, Department of Foreign Affairs. She was the Ashley Fellow at Trent University 2011/12 where she served as a “diplomat in residence” and spoke to classes in Environmental Resource Science / Studies, International Development Studies, Politics, and Economics.