During a meeting in Silkeborg June 14th-16th the Board of IWGIA unanimously appointed Ms Lola García-Alix as IWGIAs new Director.
The appointment took place after a thorough review and also a consultation with IWGIAs staff. García-Alix started her new job on June 18th.
(IWGIA står for “Den internationale Arbejdsgruppe for Indfødte Folk” og har verdenssekretariat i København. Se også www.iwgia.org eller organisationslisten her på u-landsnyt.dk)
Lola García-Alix has served as the interim Director of IWGIA twice and has been the Deputy Director for some years while also serving as the Human Rights coordinator of the organisation.
She is a sociologist from Madrid and has worked with IWGIA since 1990. The new Director has agreed to serve for a three years term and will thereafter return to the task of Human Rights coordinator.
The appointment of the new Director followed a Board discussion on recent developments related to the termination of Ulla Godtfredsens contract as IWGIAs director and the challenges IWGIA is facing in the immediate future.
Lola García-Alix has already directed IWGIA for some time and been part of the daily leadership and management of IWGIA and demonstrated in an excellent fashion her determination and ability to head an international organisation like IWGIA.
In cooperation with IWGIAs staff she has already started a process of reviewing needs, structure and work processes in the IWGIA secretariat. The Board found it necessary not to delay this process by the rather lengthy process of advertising and appointing a new director.
A new recruitment process with a view to employ another director will be initiated in due time before Lola García-Alix ends her agreed three years term.
On behalf of the Board
Espen Wæhle, Chair of IWGIAs Board
