Derek Evans

Derek Evans comes to Cuso International with an extensive background in both senior management and governance in the NGO sector, nationally and internationally. His primary background is in education and human rights. He served through the 1990s as Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International, and has led more than 70 international delegations in all world regions, primarily dealing with human rights and conflict resolution. From 2000 to 2005 he was Executive Director of the Naramata Centre for Continuing Education, one of Canada’s foremost experiential learning institutes. In 2005 Evans was appointed an Associate of the Centre for Dialogue at Simon Fraser University, and established an independent professional consultancy, Evans & Associates, providing training, resources and leadership in human rights, conflict transformation, and strategic development. Projects were carried out in some 25 countries, and included policy development and strategic planning for UN agencies, strategic evaluation of major international human rights NGOs, and capacity building with educational and indigenous people’s organizations. In 2010, Derek chaired a summit that is being recognized as an historic moment. Leaders from all of the world’s major religious traditions have agreed to help eradicate AIDS. He is also the author or co-author of some 14 books on human rights and international development. In May 2010, Derek recieved an honorary Doctorate from the Vancouver School of Theology, which is connected to the University of British Columbia. The citation recognizes his work in human rights and inter-faith dialogue.