Humanitarian Aid Challenges in the New Millennium

September 29, 1998 – New York City

Sergio Vieira de Mello speaking at the 1998 Humanitarian Symposium

Sergio Vieira de Mello was a conference speaker at the 1998 conference.

This international conference was hosted by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in conjunction with the announcement of its third annual Humanitarian Prize. The 1998 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize was presented to Médecins San Frontières/Doctors Without Borders by Barron Hilton, chairman of Hilton Hotels Corporation, and former U.S. President George H. W. Bush.

The Symposium brought together participants from around the world—all of them opinion leaders and policymakers in the field of humanitarian issues. Participants represented government, business, the military, the media, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The one-day conference was designed to look toward the challenges facing humanitarian aid and the difficulties and dangers posed to those who would respond to humanitarian crises in the post-Cold War era.

Speakers and presentations

Morton Abramowitz

Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

Staying Ahead of the Next Crisis: Post-Cold War/Foreign Policy Considerations/Emerging Threats (pdf)

Francis Amar

Head of the International Organizations Division, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Is Neutrality Still Possible? (pdf)

Emma Bonino

European Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs

Is Neutrality Still Possible? Politicization of Humanitarian Aid/Priority Setting in Ethical Dilemmas (pdf)

The Honorable George H.W. Bush

Former President of the United States

Hilton Humanitarian Prize Ceremony Keynote Address (pdf)

Arthur E. (Gene) Dewey

Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

Collaboration: Evolving Roles – Military (pdf)

Philip Johnston

former President, CARE USA

Collaboration in the Field (pdf)

Reynold Levy

President, International Rescue Committee

Collaboration: Survival Strategy for the Future? (pdf)

Larry Minear

Director, Humanitarianism and War Project, Brown University

Priority Setting in Ethical Dilemmas (pdf)

Robert A. Seiple

Chairman and Founder, Institute for Global Engagement

Conference Keynote Address (pdf)

Julia Taft

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, U.S. State Department

Geopolitical Impact of Population Shifts (pdf)

Michael Toole, M.D.

Head, International Health Unit, Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research

Emerging Threats (pdf)

Sergio Vieira de Mello

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, United Nations

Foreign Policy Considerations (pdf)

Roy Williams

Director, Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, Bureau for Humanitarian Response, USAID

Conference Rapporteur (pdf)

Timothy Wirth

President, United Nations Foundation

Role of Governments vs. Private Sector (pdf)

Linda Tsao Yang

U.S. Executive Director, Asian Development Bank

Development Aid: Opportunities for Social Change (pdf)

Symposium materials

Agenda (pdf)

Symposium report (pdf)