 Established by an international agreement between the Government of Switzerland and the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in 1966, the Institute of International Relations (IIR) celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2016. This golden jubilee will be commemorated through a series of events, most notably through a Black-Tie Dinner and the publication of a book, “A History of the Institute of International Relations: 50 Years and Beyond” under the theme “Celebrating the Past; Looking to the Future” (by Dr. Khellon Q. Roach and Dr. Mark Kirton).
The book traces the evolution of the Institute of International Relations; a post-graduate institution of The UWI known for producing Caribbean leaders, housed at the St. Augustine Campus. It is the story of how a small training institution with a single classroom and just about 14 students, became a globally recognized regional centre for the analysis and advancement of international relations.
It is divided into seven chapters separated into epochs of five years or more. It begins by outlining the academic precursors to IIR and the role of the Swiss Government in the establishment of IIR. It then describes the achievements of the Institute under the leadership of Swiss staff such as Professors Ulrich Haeflin, Roy Preiswerk and Yves Collart (all founding Swiss IIR Directors).
 The seventies was the period of change; that was when the Swiss Government ‘passed the baton’ to the Caribbean region to take ownership and responsibility for IIR and consequently, when IIR adopted a new Constitution. There followed a period of growth and then, as the fifth chapter describes it, there was the “The Era of Challenges & Opportunities (1998–2007).” This chapter identifies some of the main challenges of the Institute, including that of financing as a result of the withdrawal of contributing countries, but also describes the opportunities that emerged through the strengthening of relations with The UWI and connecting with IIR alumni.
Chapter 6 speaks about some of the recent activities and accomplishments of the Institute such as the strengthening of links with the diplomatic community through its ‘Diplomatic Dialogues’, and a return to its original mandate of diplomatic training with the establishment of the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean.
The final chapter reflects on the calibre of alumni produced by the Institute including alumni such as His Excellency Brigadier David A. Granger, the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Professor Sir Kenneth Hall, the former Governor-General of Jamaica and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Mona Campus and the late Ambassador Henry Gill, the former Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery among others. This chapter gives the reader an appreciation of the magnitude of service provided by IIR to the regional and global community over the last five decades.
The IIR’s 50th Anniversary Black-Tie Dinner is on Friday, April 8, 2016 from 7pm at the University Inn and Conference Centre, St. Augustine Circular Road, St. Augustine. The President of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier David Granger, the first alumnus to be elected Head of State and Government will be the keynote speaker.
The Swiss Connection
 “Dr Eric Williams made his first official visit to Switzerland on June 29, 1962 during which he consulted Swiss authorities on several technical assistance programmes. On his second visit to Switzerland on July 17, 1964, Dr Eric Williams conveyed his desire that the Government of Switzerland should accept an advisory role in assisting the Government of Trinidad to set up a local training programme for Foreign Service personnel. Subsequent to these dialogues, Delegate of the Federal Council for Technical Cooperation, August Lindt, sent Roy Preiswerk to Trinidad ‘to advise the Government of Trinidad on the setting up of an Institute of International Relations; recommend to the Swiss Government ways of cooperating in this venture; and examine further potential for technical cooperation between the two governments’. Within the objective of establishing a similar Graduate Institute of International Studies in Trinidad, an initial feasibility exercise was conducted in 1964 by the Technical Co-operation Service of t
he Government of Switzerland. Simultaneously, comprehensive analyses were carried out by the Technical Co-operation Services in the field of international affairs throughout the Caribbean, in order to ascertain the extent to which the project could be dispersed without waste of resources. Roy Preiswerk’s 1964 report on the proposed Institute gave concrete evidence in support of concerns previously expressed by Dr Eric Williams by highlighting several areas of need, and gave recommendations to be considered in the establishment of the Institute”
(An excerpt from “Celebrating the Past; Looking to the Future”) |
