The Ireland Fund of Great Britain honoured Peter Sutherland SC at its annual celebration on Saturday 5th December at the famous Victoria and Albert Museum.
Over 400 guests including many leading Irish figures from business, politics, sport and cultural circles from around the world attended the occasion, which recognised his contribution to Irish society and raised awareness for the many causes supported by The Worldwide Ireland Funds.
Mr. Sutherland was welcomed into a prestigious group of honourees that includes the late Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney and former President of Ireland Mary McAleese.
Peter has been an ardent supporter of the Irish in the UK and a significant patron of many causes. Retiring from his position as Chairman of Goldman Sachs earlier last year, Mr Sutherland has devoted himself to being an advocate for the rights of migrants, an issue he has been passionate about long before the current crisis. In 2006 he was appointed as the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for International Migration. The UN Secretary General recently commented that Peter was doing this “job for humanity”.
Peter was Ireland’s youngest Attorney General and the youngest European Commissioner at the ages of 35 and 39 respectively. He went on to be the founding Director General of the World Trade Organisation and later joined Goldman Sachs as a partner and as Chairman of its international business. He was also Chairman of BP Plc. among numerous other business roles.
From 2008 to 2015 he was Chairman of the London School of Economics and was recently appointed as a Professor in Practice in the School’s Institute of Global Affairs (IGA).
The Ireland Fund of Great Britain is part of The Worldwide Ireland Funds, a philanthropic network with chapters across 12 countries that has raised over $500 million for worthy causes in Ireland and Irish causes around the world. The Worldwide Ireland Funds are the largest network of friends of Ireland dedicated to supporting programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development. Founded in 1976, The Worldwide Ireland Funds have benefited over 3,000 organizations. Funds raised are contributed by private sources – individuals, corporations and foundations.
