Committed to Universal Human Rights
Below, right: Canada’s Human Rights Commissioner, since 1995, Robinson Koilpillai was born, Madras, India, 1923. A retired international teacher and high school principal, Mr. Koilpillai had been an educator in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, Ethiopia, and the U.S.A. before coming to Canada, 1960. Edmonton, Alberta, in particular, and Canada, in general, have been the beneficiaries of his inexhaustible energy. A high school Social Studies Curricular builder for the Edmonton School Board, as well as Alberta Department of Education, Mr. Koilpillai was administrator with the Edmonton School Board, 1970-88. For his services to education, he received, 1987, the National Award for Outstanding Education from the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education. In 1981, he was acknowledged with the Alberta Achievement Award and received, 1992, the Canada 125 Medal. A Member of the Order of Canada and President of the Canadian Multicultural Education Federation since 1987, Mr. Koilpillai is affiliated with numerous international federations and institutions including the Canadian Council for International Cooperation. In this view, Canadian Human Rights Commissioner, Mr. Robinson Koilpillai, right, poses with delegates to the International Human Rights Conference, Edmonton, Alberta, November 28, 1998. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Laureate, 1984, left, was present to support the Edmonton Resolution, which, in part, was to reaffirm the Conference’s commitment to the universal and inalienable rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, sometimes referred to as the “Magna Carta of Mankind.” [Photo, courtesy Robinson Koilpillai]