Sadako Ogata

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Sadako Ogata (緒方 貞子, Ogata Sadako^?), born 1927, is a Japanese scholar and administrator. She served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1991 until 2001. She was appointed as the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency on October 1, 2003 and is still serving as of 2007.

Her mother was a grandchild of Inukai Tsuyoshi and was influenced by his liberal political attitude. She was born in Tokyo, attended the Catlin Gabel School, class of 1946, and graduated from University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, before studying at Georgetown University and its Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and earned a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1963. Ogata later taught international politics at Sophia University.

In 1994, she was awarded the Prize For Freedom by the Liberal International. On July 4, 1995, Ogata became the first female recipient of the Liberty Medal for efforts as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In 2005, Ogata received the World Citizenship Award from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

[edit] Quotes

• “If we ignore the plight of the refugees or the burden of the countries which have received them, I fear we will pay a heavy toll in renewed violence. Conditions must be created urgently to allow the refugees to go back and live in peace and tolerance in their own country.”

Liberty Medal acceptance speech, July 4, 1995^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ 1995 Speech Sadako Ogata - Liberty Medal - National Constitution Center