Defence Lecture: Are women better leaders than men, does diversity matter in military operations? by Major General Kristin Lund
Major General Kristin Lund, retired United Nations Force Commander
顿补迟别/罢颈尘别:听 Tuesday 7 February 2023, 5.30pm
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All our events remain free and open to all, but pre-booking is required. Bookings for this lecture will open at 10.00am on 31 January. |
Hosted by Dr Martin Farr, Chaired by Dr Katharine Wright
Being the first female Force Commander and Head of Mission/Chief of Staff in UN history gave Major General Lund a unique experience to lead multinational units and organisations. With her extensive international service from different military operations abroad she will share her knowledge and experience of the importance of gender and diversity as qualities in a leader.
Biography
Major General(R)鈥疜ristin Lund鈥痳etired鈥痜rom active-duty December 2019 after 40 years of service when she returned back to Norway after being the Head of Mission/Chief of Staff鈥痮f United Nation Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East. Between her last two missions she worked as Senior Advisor鈥痑t the Norwegian Defence University College (NODEFIC) with ceasefire mediation course, leadership lectures, UN training and later as a Practitioner in Residence from 1 January 2020 until July 2021 at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, PRIO.
The General has鈥痶wo unique distinctions as being the first female Norwegian Army Officer promoted to the rank of Major鈥疓eneral,鈥痑nd鈥痶he鈥痜irst鈥痜emale鈥疐orce鈥疌ommander鈥痠n鈥疷N鈥痟istory for鈥疷nited Nations鈥疨eacekeeping Forces鈥痠n Cyprus (UNFICYP). During her service, she has held several prominent positions, both nationally and abroad, including as Chief of Staff of the Norwegian Home Guard. Her career has also seen multiple deployments overseas with both鈥疦ATO鈥痑nd the UN to conflict zones.鈥疘n October 2017鈥疢ajor General Lund鈥痶ook command of UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organization) as Head of Mission/Chief of staff.鈥疐irst in UN history to hold a Head of Mission as a female military. The main focus of her work has been on logistics, civil-military cooperation and coordination (CIMIC), light infantry (Homeguard), mediation and gender equality. Her gender equality contributions were recognized when she was awarded the Norwegian Armed鈥疐orces鈥疎quality Award in 2004. Major General Lund’s accomplishments have earned her the following prestigious awards, namely the Gulf medal with bar in 1991, the鈥疐rench鈥疧rdre鈥疦ational de la鈥疞égion鈥痙’honneur鈥痠n 2015 and the Norwegian Defence鈥疌ross鈥痮f Honour in鈥�2016.鈥�疘n October 2019 she received the Norwegian Order of St Olav for her tireless work with gender equality in the Norwegian Forces and within international operations. Since 2015 she has been a member of Nordic Women Mediators Network. She holds a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from US Army War College.
Watch the recording