Victoria University of Wellington
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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a relief and human development agency, providing education, health care, social services and emergency aid to 5 million Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It is the only agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict.
With the Arab Spring, change is sweeping the Middle East, removing old regimes and opening new opportunities for freedom and development to emerge.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Filippo Grandi was appointed Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees on 20 January 2010 after having served as UNRWA’s Deputy Commissioner-General since October 2005.
Mr Grandi, an Italian national, has been engaged in refugee and humanitarian work for the past 26 years, 22 of which have been with the United Nations. Prior to joining UNRWA, he distinguished himself in a variety of headquarters and field functions encompassing refugee assistance, protection, emergency management, donor relations and humanitarian and political affairs.
He graduated from the State University of Milan with a degree in modern history and from the Gregorian University in Rome with a BA in philosophy.
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