QUNO director steps down

Laurel Townhead is the interim director of QUNO Geneva after Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge stepped down

Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge has stepped down from her role as director of Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) Geneva.

The news was announced on the QUNO website when the organisation said she was leaving to ‘take on new challenges’. ‘She has served in the role for almost three years and contributed greatly to QUNO’s projects and development. The Quaker United Nations Committee wishes her the best in her future endeavours and is grateful for her valuable contributions to the organisation,’ the statement reads.

Laurel Townhead is now interim director of QUNO Geneva, as well as representative for the Human Rights and Refugees Program. 

It was reported in June that Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge was ‘currently on leave and, with the Committee, [was] considering her retirement options’ when she did not attend a meeting with Quaker United Nations (Geneva) Committee (QUNC) at Chateau de Bossey near Lake Geneva. The report was written by Ronis Chapman, from Canberra and Region Quakers, who was there representing the Asia West-Pacific Section of Friends World Committee for Consultation. 

Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, a South African Quaker, was appointed director three years ago in 2021. The former government minister from Western Cape Meeting said at the time she looked ‘forward to working with the new leaders in responding to the new challenges and contributing a perspective from the Global South’. She also delivered that year’s Salter Lecture.

The Friend has approached Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge and QUNO Geneva for comment.

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Comments

It would have been nice to see a photo of Nozizwe illustrating this. In 2020 Quakers committed to becoming an anti-racist church. But still we miss a good opportunity to feature a much-loved black face?!
Sheila Taylor
Salter Lecture Coordinator

By grahamtaylor on 8th August 2024 - 14:25

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