A Tribute to Tadesse, and Welcome Yuyun

A Tribute to Tadesse

Words cannot adequately express the significance of Tadesse’s past six years as Co-Chair of IPEN. He is a shining star and global leader who is selflessly and earnestly dedicated to protecting our beautiful, fragile world. Tadesse is wise, compassionate, and a consummate diplomat. 

His accomplishments are many: 

• His leadership elevated the IPEN toxics-free future mission globally on toxic chemicals, plastics and health, as IPEN has led the way and secured chemicals and health as essential pillars in the Plastics Treaty process. He also led IPEN’s post-SAICM mission for global action on chemicals with tireless efforts leading to the adoption of a new Global Framework on Chemicals.
• Tadesse further nurtured our IPEN-PAN partnership and strategy to win the new global call for action on highly hazardous pesticides. He was recently named International Co-coordinator of Pesticide Action Network International, a frequent collaborator with IPEN on pesticide issues, and remains Executive Director of Pesticide Action Network Ethiopia. 
• Within Africa Tadesse has also worked with IPENers to prevent exposures to heavy metals, achieving significant policy wins on lead and mercury.

In 2020, Tadesse graciously hosted the IPEN global meeting in Ethiopia, sharing his homeland, the Land of Origins. Among the many memorable experiences there, Tadesse described his long-standing work in leading Pesticide Action Nexus in Ethiopia in transitioning cotton farming to organic systems, organizing farmer field schools, and at the meeting, facilitated a panel with his colleagues including local farmers, authorities, and women cotton spinners. The stories of how this work has protected the health of farmers, spinners, and communities was truly memorable and inspiring.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as Co-Chair with Tadesse. We will not say goodbye to him because I know that we will all continue to work closely with him in many ways and enjoy his continuing collaboration in our work as well as part of the IPEN Steering Committee and Former Co-Chairs Committee. 

With much gratitude to you, Tadesse! You are a gift to the world!

And a Big Warm Welcome to IPEN’s New Global Co-Chair, Yuyun Ismawati!

Many of you are already familiar with the extraordinary work and global leadership of our newly elected Co-Chair, Yuyun Ismawati. Yuyun is a co-founder and Senior Advisor of the Nexus3 Foundation, the leading Indonesian public interest organization working to protect people, especially vulnerable populations, from the impacts of development on public health and the environment, towards a future of justice and toxics-free, sustainable living. Her career has been characterized by her insightful and passionate drive to address critical environmental challenges through collaborative approaches and innovative solutions that lead to policy changes. She has deep experience in working to address toxic threats, including mercury in gold mining, chemicals in plastics, and other chemicals and waste issues. She received the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2009 for her groundbreaking work on reducing pollution and waste.

In addition to the Goldman Prize, Yuyun is an Ashoka Fellow and a Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Fellow, a testament to her leadership in sustainable development. Her academic qualifications include a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from the Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia, an MSc in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford in 2011, and a diploma in Medical Research - International Health from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, which she earned in 2018.  

Yuyun has been a longtime leader within IPEN, and I feel privileged to have this chance to serve with her as Co-Chair. These are critical days for the work to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and toxic pollution, and Yuyun brings decades of experience that we urgently need to address these interlinked challenges. I know that she will be a vital force in energizing IPEN’s vibrant, effective network to achieve our mission with health and justice for all.

From Co-Chair, Pamela Miller