Robert P. De Vecchi
Encyclopedia
Robert P. DeVecchi is currently President Emeritus of the International Rescue Committee.
Born in New York City, he graduated Yale University
in 1952, then served for two years on active duty with the United States Air Force
and in 1956 received an M.B.A. from Harvard University
. He served as a foreign service officer in the U.S. Department of State, serving in posts including NATO headquarters in Paris, and U.S. embassies in Warsaw and Rome. In 1969, he became European Director of The Conference Board
, based in Paris. In 1972 he became director of Inner Cities Programs and New York Representative of the Save the Children
Foundation.
In 1975, Mr. DeVecchi joined the International Rescue Committee
as coordinator of its Indochinese Refugee Resettlement Program, then became IRC program director in 1980, executive director in 1985, and President and C.E.O. in 1993. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1997, when he was elected President Emeritus.
According to his biography released in conjunction with his receipt of an honorary Doctorate
of Humane Letters from Yale University in 2005, Mr. DeVecchi was responsible for initiating emergency relief programs in over twenty-eight countries, including Thailand
, Cambodia
, Burma, Pakistan
, Afghanistan
, Somalia
, Sudan
, Rwanda
, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq
, El Salvador
, Bosnia
, and Kosovo
. In addition, he initiated a domestic refugee resettlement program in the United States. On average, one million refugees or displaced persons received IRC assistance yearly, and up to ten thousand refugees were permanently resettled. After retiring in 1997, Mr. DeVecchi was appointed Adjunct Senior Fellow for Refugees and the Displaced at the Council on Foreign Relations
. Other awards include, in 1996, the Peacemakers Award of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.; 1997, under his leadership, the IRC was awarded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize of $1 million; and 1998, recipient of the IRC's Freedom Award for his "extraordinary contribution to the cause of refugees and human freedom."
Born in New York City, he graduated Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1952, then served for two years on active duty with the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and in 1956 received an M.B.A. from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He served as a foreign service officer in the U.S. Department of State, serving in posts including NATO headquarters in Paris, and U.S. embassies in Warsaw and Rome. In 1969, he became European Director of The Conference Board
The Conference Board
The Conference Board, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan business membership and research group. It has approximately 12,000 executives in its network, from 1200 corporations in 60 countries. It holds conferences, convenes executives, conducts economic and business management research, and is seen...
, based in Paris. In 1972 he became director of Inner Cities Programs and New York Representative of the Save the Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
Foundation.
In 1975, Mr. DeVecchi joined the International Rescue Committee
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is a leading nonsectarian, nongovernmental international relief and development organization based in the United States, with operations in over 40 countries...
as coordinator of its Indochinese Refugee Resettlement Program, then became IRC program director in 1980, executive director in 1985, and President and C.E.O. in 1993. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1997, when he was elected President Emeritus.
According to his biography released in conjunction with his receipt of an honorary Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
of Humane Letters from Yale University in 2005, Mr. DeVecchi was responsible for initiating emergency relief programs in over twenty-eight countries, including Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Burma, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. In addition, he initiated a domestic refugee resettlement program in the United States. On average, one million refugees or displaced persons received IRC assistance yearly, and up to ten thousand refugees were permanently resettled. After retiring in 1997, Mr. DeVecchi was appointed Adjunct Senior Fellow for Refugees and the Displaced at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
. Other awards include, in 1996, the Peacemakers Award of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.; 1997, under his leadership, the IRC was awarded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize of $1 million; and 1998, recipient of the IRC's Freedom Award for his "extraordinary contribution to the cause of refugees and human freedom."