Welcome Lecture 2024

Dr Atif Ikram Butt is a 2006 graduate of the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy. Dr. Atif has over 20 years of leadership experience in social and behavior change communication. He has worked with several international organizations, including the UK's Department for International Development, GIZ, Johns Hopkins University, ILO, UNDP, and UNICEF. Currently, he serves as Chief of Public Advocacy and Communication Section at the United Nations Environment Programme's headquarters in Nairobi, leading global efforts to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable development. His expertise includes strategy development, media utilization, partnership building, and communication research. Dr. Atif has pioneered ICT-driven initiatives for children's rights, engagement of faith communities in development projects, application of human-rights approach to journalism, and introduced entertainment-education to graduate curricula. He holds a doctorate in International Development Studies, where his research explored the influence of ideation on policymaking.