Cambridge, MA—Juan Manuel Santos, the president of the Republic of Colombia and Nobel laureate, has been named the next Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. The announcement was made today by Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf. Santos, who completes his second term in office today, will begin his fellowship this fall and serve through the spring semester.
“President Santos is an accomplished public servant who has made a positive difference in the lives of millions of Colombians through his relentless pursuit of peace and security in his country,” said Elmendorf. “He was awarded the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for those efforts, demonstrating impressive leadership in negotiating a peaceful resolution to the country’s conflict. We are honored to welcome him back to the Kennedy School, from which he received a Mid-Career Master’s in Public Administration degree in 1981.”
The Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders program provides opportunities for high-profile leaders who are transitioning out of public office or other leadership positions to spend time in residence at Harvard Kennedy School reflecting, teaching, learning, and conducting research. During his time at the Kennedy School, Santos will meet with students and collaborate with scholars and researchers. He will also lecture, write and participate in public discussions and forums.
“I look forward to returning to the Kennedy School, a place that profoundly shaped my understanding of public service and my values and approach as a public leader,” said Santos. “This fellowship is a wonderful opportunity to share what I have learned during my time in office with the next generation of public leaders, and to continue my work on important public policy issues that I remain very passionate about, such as human rights, peace and reconciliation, poverty, and the environment.”
Santos has served as president of the Republic of Colombia since 2010. He was the country’s first foreign trade minister, and he served as finance minister and national defense minister. He created the Good Government Foundation (Fundación Buen Gobierno). During his time working as a columnist and deputy director of El Tiempo newspaper, Santos was awarded the King of Spain prize for journalism. He was also elected president of the Freedom of Expression Commission for the Inter-American Press Association.
Santos becomes the fourth Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow since the program’s inception in 2011. Previous fellows are Felipe Calderón, former president of Mexico; Tarja Halonen, former president of Finland; and Ban Ki-moon, former secretary-general of the United Nations.