Maxim Behar Appointed Chairman of Board of International Centre for Peace and Diplomacy

The Centre is named after the late Founding President of Seychelles Sir James Mancham 

International Centre for Peace Studies and Diplomacy named after the late Seychelles Founding President Sir James Mancham has been officially inaugurated on Eden Island, near the capital Victoria. 

The Seychelles Honorary Consul General to Bulgaria and renowned PR expert Maxim Behar was appointed Chairman of the International Board of Trustees, Sir Mancham's son Alexander will be the President and Professor Dennis Hardy will chair the Steering Committee.

The Centre was originally Sir James'  idea and for the past couple of months has been developed by the University of Seychelles, the Mancham Family and an international group of diplomats and businessmen.

The official launch was attended by Seychelles Vice President Vincent Meriton, former President of the country James Michel,  Minister of Health and former Foreign Minister Jean-Paul Adam, Foreign Secretary Ambassador Claude Morel, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Barry Faure, members of  Seychelles Parliament, diplomats, businessmen and many friends and allies of Sir James Mancham.

"We had a great emotional day to see one of Sir James’s dreams come alive and to gather so many guests, committed not only to his memory, but also ready to share the Seychelles experience of peace, understanding and building together a successful state. Nowadays we see so much hate and aggressive attitude all around and it is part of our obligation to spread Sir James's message and belief of peace, reconciliation and building our future together. In the Peace Centre you can expect to share and analyze the best global experience of how to make things happen together  and it will be the best way to use the legacy of the great statesman and peacemaker Sir James", Maxim Behar, Chairman of the International Board of Trustees said.

"It was Sir James’s dream to launch the centre in Seychelles and it is hoped that this great idea will turn into something which will put the country in the centre of the political map of global efforts to establish peace in the world. We intend to hold conferences, workshops and bilateral meetings, which we expect will turn the Peace Centre into a very interesting hub for different ideas and strategies, helping the peace process globally.", Professor Dennis Hardy, Chair of the  Centre's Steering Committee  said.

"Now that my father is no longer with us we plan to develop his legacy by spreading his  philosophy on peace," the President of the Centre, Alexander Mancham said. "We intend to work closely with the Seychelles Government, with the Foreign Office and  other institutions in an effort to give his ideas as much global coverage as possible", he said.

Sir James Mancham International Centre for Peace Studies and Diplomacy was officially opened by the widow of Sir James, Lady Mancham with the words: "A passionate champion of peace on a global scale, and a member of many international organizations, forums and think tanks, my late husband collected a multitude of awards and prizes culminating in the prestigious peace prize for Africa with which he was presented  last year. However as he grew older and realized that his grueling travel routine must be tempered he started to work  to ensure that he left the legacy  he had dreamt of and felt that the best way to do this would be to establish  an International Peace Centre in his beloved islands."  

Among the members of the International Board of Trustees are its Chairman Maxim Behar, Honorary Consul General of Seychelles in Bulgaria and globally recognized PR expert and entrepreneur,  Mark Donfried, Founder and Director of Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, Gordon Anderson, Editor in Chief of the International Journal of World Peace,Solomon Passy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and former Chairman of the UN Security Council, Lady Carla Davis, Peace Ambassador and Global Energy Parliament Minister, Jean Paul Adam, Minister of Health of Seychelles, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Negoslav Ostojic, Executive Director of the European Center for Peace and Development. 

Dedicate web site of the Peace  Centre was developed at http://www.manchampeacecentre.com/