Fletcher Announces 2021 Commencement Speaker

The Fletcher School is delighted to announce that Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, will deliver The Fletcher School's keynote remarks at our virtual commencement celebration on Sunday, May 23, 2021.

Before his election in 2015 to lead one of the world’s largest humanitarian organizations, Mr. Grandi had been engaged in international cooperation for more than 30 years, focusing on refugee and humanitarian work. Previously, he served as Commissioner-General of the UN Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from 2010-2014, and its Deputy Commissioner-General from 2005-2010. 

Prior to that, Mr. Grandi served as Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, following a long career first with NGOs and later with UNHCR, notably as Chief of Mission in Afghanistan and Chief of Staff in the High Commissioner’s Executive Office at Headquarters. His vast UNHCR field experience includes positions in Sudan, Syria, Turkey and Iraq, and he also led emergency operations in Kenya, Benin, Ghana, Liberia, the Great Lakes region of Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Yemen.

A native of Milan, Mr. Grandi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the Gregorian University in Rome, a degree in modern history from the State University of Milan and an honorary degree (D.Litt.) from the University of Coventry, United Kingdom.

We hope you will join us on Sunday, May 23, 2021 to hear the keynote remarks of Mr. Grandi, as well as those of our student, alumni, and faculty speakers.

Additional details on our commencement celebration will be shared in the coming weeks.