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Judith Fortunova-Russell with John Kerry. Photo credit David Tett.

Judith Fortunova-Russell with John Kerry. Credit David Tett.

Loughborough Doctoral Researcher invited to be part of prestigious lecture event

Judith Fortunova-Russell, a Fulbright scholar and Doctoral Researcher in International Relations, Politics and History at Loughborough University, was invited to participate in the 2022 Distinguished Lecture featuring US Special Presidential Envoy to Climate, John Kerry.

The subject of the lecture focused on the urgency of mobilization towards climate change. It highlighted the achievements and shortcomings of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt and also featured Baroness Helene Hayman, who emphasised the coherence of the US and the UK initiatives and their approaches to tackling climate change.

The event concluded with a dinner at King's College London, where Judith contributed to discussions around important issues in the fight against climate change. Her research focuses on alternative currents of humanitarian approaches that can inform us of foreign policy approaches. Her work aims to outline non-harming humanitarian strategies for climate change migration, which could be effective in a multilateral foreign policy framework between the US, the UK, and the EU.

On the event Judith said: “John Kerry was an incredibly eloquent speaker. As a person, his posture and grandeur were inspirational, and he excellently demonstrated the necessary characteristics for successful climate change diplomacy.

“I was also humbled to be invited to share my thoughts and ideas with other accomplished researchers and business leaders. With so much innovation going on in different parts of the world, it is critical now more than ever to have these discussions on how to shape our futures.

“Ultimately, it's a conversation we all have to be a part of at some point. Following the meeting, I was emblazoned with a sense of duty and call to action. Overall, the event was incredibly enlightening and educational.”

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