Numerous persons contributed greatly to the establishment, work and international reputation of the European Center for Peace and Development of the University for Peace established by the United Nations, including:
Prof. Simonida Marjanovic
The ECPD Council is the highest ECPD governing body. The establishment of the Council was preceded by the ECPD International Organizing Committee, which was responsible for setting up the European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD) as an international educational and research institution with Headquarters in Belgrade. The President of the Committee was Professor Simonida Marjanović, initiator of the establishment of the ECPD, Vice-President of the Executive Board of UNESCO and Vice-President of the University for Peace Council. At its session held in Brasilia, Brazil, on February 15, 1989, the Committee decided to renounce itself into the ECPD Council and Professor Marjanović was elected the first President of the Council. The Council consists of members chosen “from the ranks of public, scientific and cultural workers with experience, qualifications and technical competence recognized in the world and devoted to the aims of the Center”. The ECPD Statute was adopted, which defined the functioning and management of ECPD as an autonomous educational and research institution.
H.E. Paul - Marc Henry
After Professor Marjanović passed away in March 1994, the second President of the ECPD Council became Prof. Dr Paul-Marc Henry, Ambassadeur de France, long standing Under-secretary General of the United Nations and Director General of the Special United Nations Fund for Development. His Excellency Paul-Marc Henry, as well as Professor Simonida Marjanović, made a tremendous contribution to the work and international reputation of the ECPD in performing its noble task – the promotion of peace and development in this turbulent part of the world. Prof. Dr Paul-Marc Henry presided over the ECPD Council exactly four years. Unfortunately, in March 1998, he passed away.
Gen. Pierre Marie Gallois
The third President of the ECPD Council became Gen. Dr Pierre-Marie Galois, the prominent French figure in the field of Geopolitics and geostrategy and one of the most prestigious ministers in the General De Gaul Government. In the first several years of his presidency, General Galois made a notable contribution to the work and international promotion of the ECPD. Later on, however, his governing activities were reduced, but General Galois remained Honorary President of the ECPD Council who still considerably supports the ECPD activities.
Prof. Shinichi Ichimura
One of the major the ECPD’s tasks – organizing and carrying out the ECPD postgraduate studies demanded that the Council set up establishment of the ECPD Academic Council, which is in charge of approving and channeling all the ECPD educational, research and international cooperation activities. The first President of ECPD Academic Council was Prof. Dr John Marcum, Director of the European Institute for Technology (EIT), Paris. At the first session of the ECPD Council held in Brasilia, Brazil, on February 15, 1989, it was decided that Prof. dr Simonida Marjanović, as the President of the ECPD Council, would also be the President of the ECPD Academic Council. H.E. Prof. Dr Paul-Marc Henry has also assumed both.
After the death of Paul-Marc Henry (March, 1998), Prof. Dr Shinichi Ichimura, a well-known Japanese expert in economic studies, became the fourth President of the ECPD Academic Council. Prof. Dr Ichimura was responsible for this position for more than five years, being at the same time the main lecturer at numerous ECPD postgraduate and specialized courses and seminars within economic and management studies.
At the end of 2003, Professor Ichimura decided to retire and devote his time to writing and publishing his books and studies in economic development. The position of the President of the ECPD Academic Council was assumed by Prof. Dr Takehiro Togo, a distinguished Japanese diplomat and professor of international relations, who was elected as the President of the ECPD Council.
