Rights of Nature represents a groundbreaking shift in environmental protection — a legal framework that recognizes rivers, forests, and other natural entities as having inherent rights to exist, flourish, and remain clean. This transformative model emerged in the Global South, led by Ecuador, the first country to enshrine Rights of Nature in its constitution. It has since inspired movements and legal debates worldwide, redefining the relationship between people and the planet.

Join us for a special Keynote in which lawyers, civil society activists, and academics discuss how Rights of Nature is being interpreted and applied in the courts of Ecuador and Colombia. They will also explore the challenges this paradigm faces and highlight the opportunities it creates for strengthening environmental protection and advancing sustainability. The conversation offers a rare, frontline look at the evolving global dialogue on environmental justice.

This work is part of a collaboration between the Ashley School of Global Development and Environment at Cornell and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. It is supported by a Cornell Global Hubs seed grant and the Polson Institute for Global Development.

Open access background reading: Special Issue: Integrating Ecology, Law, and Society to Protect the Environment. Journal of Integrated Global STEM: People, Technology and Policy. 3(1). Warner and Martínez-Moscoso (2026).

Register and see the full list of panelists.

Join the International Relations Minor for a virtual career information session featuring Cornell alumni working in diplomacy, education, and law. Panelists will reflect on their career paths, share advice on internships, graduate school, and professional transitions, and answer student questions about careers connected to international relations.

Register here.

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Speakers

Eric Andersen is the Political-Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique. Having joined the U.S. State Department in 2009, he previously served as Political Counselor (Acting) in Islamabad, Pakistan. His other assignments have included Cairo, Kyiv, and Khartoum, as well as in Washington, D.C. as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. Prior to entering the Foreign Service, he spent four years on Capitol Hill as a Professional Staff Member for the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. In his first stint with the U.S. Government, he flew the SH-60B “Seahawk” helicopter as an aviator in the U.S. Navy. He holds an M.A. in Security Policy from the George Washington University, and a A.B. in English Literature from Cornell University (Class of 1996).

Angie Yucht Swenson, M.S.Ed., Ed.M., is the founder and principal tutor of AYS Tutoring and Consulting, a practice she launched after more than a decade working in both private and public schools across New York City. She specializes in supporting elementary through high school students with learning challenges and has worked with families from diverse international backgrounds, including Russia, Israel, and France. Angie graduated from Cornell University in 2010, majoring in Human Development and minoring in International Relations, followed by a master’s in General and Special Education from Hunter College, and a master’s in School Leadership from Bank Street College of Education. She resides in NYC with her husband, two daughters, and a goldendoodle.

Emma Marshak is a commercial litigator in Washington, DC who specializes in judgment enforcement. She has enforced domestic and international judgments, including awards from investor-state arbitration, in federal and state courts across the United States.

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This session is presented by the Einaudi Center for International Studies. The International Relations minor is open to all Cornell undergraduate students interested in learning about the politics, economics, history, languages, and cultures of the world.

Registration Link: https://cvent.me/Qy3NxW

EMC² Distinguished Fellow Series
From BRIC to BRICS+: 25 Years That Reshaped the Global Economy. Fireside Chat Dean Andrew Karolyi and Lord Jim O'Neill

Andrew KarolyiCharles Field Knight Dean, Cornell SC Johnson College of BusinessJim O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of Gatley2026 EMC² Distinguished FellowFormer Chairman, Goldman Sachs Asset ManagementFormer Commercial Secretary to the Treasury, United KingdomKnown for coining the term BRICChair of BRICS+ ThinkingOpening by Lourdes Casanova, Gail and Roberto Cañizares Director, Cañizares Center for Emerging Markets

Lord O’Neill of Gatley
Lord O’Neill is a cross bench peer in the House of Lords. He is Chair of Northern Gritstone, and is also Chair and Co-Founder of a new Policy Platform, BRICS+ Thinking. He is Co-President and formerly Chair of, Northern Powerhouse Partnership. He is a member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Economic Advisory Council and is Chair of the NeoTest AMC working group launched by CGD. His previous roles include, joint head of research at Goldman Sachs (1995–2000), its chief economist (2001–10) and chairman of its asset management division (2010–13); creator of the acronym BRIC; chair of the City Growth Commission (2014); chair of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance [AMR] (2014-16); commercial secretary to the Treasury (2015-16); chair of Chatham House (2018-2021). He is a board member, and one of the founding trustees of educational charity SHINE.

Lord O’Neill is a Distinguished Fellow at both The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the 2027 Cornell Canizares Center for Emerging Markets (EMC2). He is an honorary professor of economics, University of Manchester, and holds honorary degrees from the University of Sheffield, University of Manchester, University of Hull, University of London, University of Surrey and from City University London. He received his PhD from the University of Surrey and is now a Visiting Professor there.

A reception will be held after the fireside chat.
Please register to attend and keep posted about this event.

Registration Link: https://cvent.me/Qy3NxW