Testimonials
I have known Professor Karam for over a decade, wherein I had the pleasure of working with her in the interface between the United Nations and the world's religions in the development and peace-building domains. My Office - the United Nations Office for Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG) - therefore sought LEAD INTEGRITY's Professor Azza Karam's expert services in the summer of 2025, to draft a Training Manual based on two of the UN's seminal Plans of Action on Genocide Prevention.
While co-developed by and dealing with different constituencies: Religious Leaders and faith-based Actors, and Women, Professor Karam's experience in international diplomacy within secular and faith-based realms, and her decades of experience facilitating UN and International INGO Strategic Learning Exchanges, positioned her to expertly undertake this. She delivered an excellent and timely product. The result is a Manual that is tailored to be of benefit to diplomats, human rights actors, international development practitioners, and peace and security specialists in all corners of the world, positioning them to serve on the frontlines of genocide prevention. I have no doubt this Manual will help advance peace and security, human rights and the prevention of atrocity crimes globally.
Ms. Simona Cruciani serves as a Political Affairs Officer and Head of Programmes at the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG), in New York.
During my tenure as Representative of UNFPA-Malaysia I was able to solicit the expertise of Prof Azza Karam in the spring of 2024 to use religious diplomacy for our auspicious engagement with the Vatican. True to Lead Integrity’s signature, Prof. Karam delivered always efficient, pertinent and premium professional advise, drawing on her extensive and exclusive experience in the realm of interfaith engagement, helping us to navigate complexity, and learning from it too. Her unique adaptive insights on the nexus of religion-politics and gender equality, enriched by her significant experience in teaching and developing programmes and building initiatives serving human rights and peaceful coexistence in many continents, helped open new understanding and opportunities, and left a wisdom legacy for me and our team, making us more resilient to transcend fragile conditions."
Asa Torkelsson. Chief, UNFPA Representation Office in Seoul, Republic of Korea. UNFPA Representation Office in Seoul
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Dr. Azza Karam
“Exemplifies… existential stewardship of conscience” – Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, India/UK
“…provides much needed guidance for a modern leader dealing with complexities in modern times and demonstrates “diplomatic elegance” – Bishop Margot Kaessman, Germany
“Deeply impressive analytical acumen and leadership insights” – Professor Craig Calhoun, Arizona State University, USA and former President and Director of the London School of Economics (UK).
“A tower of strength for my leadership” - Ms. Cinde Lee, Coordinator of Interreligious Council of UK
“A fountain of positive and constructive support for diverse leadership challenges … and issues critical for our time” – Dr. Thoraya Obaid, former UN Under Secretary General, Saudi Arabia
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SIDDHARTH CHATTERJEE 常启德, United Nations' 🇺🇳 Resident Coordinator to China 🇨🇳.
Dr. Azza Karam epitomizes the solid convergence of professionalism, leadership, humility and courage... A seasoned United Nations development expert, Azza brings to bear deep commitment, humanity and compassion in development work. A great team player combined with fine social graces, Azza can be “counted on” no matter the complexity. Her ability to get a diverse range of stakeholders around the table with a range of differing opinions and still come out with consensus is remarkable... Azza has an innate ability to get difficult topics front & center and ensure a common understanding and shared commitment. She is a great champion of equality, equity, humanity and compassion. She is an exceptional colleague and her work is meritorious on all counts.
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Sarah Craven, Chief, United Nations Population Fund, North American Representation Office
Dr. Azza Karam is one of the most brilliant, thoughtful and strategic leaders I have had the privilege to work with in my career. She has an incredible gift to be able to bring together a diverse range of stakeholders together in collaboration and unity for common cause on some of the world's most critical and often thorniest issues - peace, tolerance, human rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls (to name a few). She does this with warmth, kindness, grace and humor. It is an honor to know Azza and a privilege to say that she is a colleague and friend.
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Anne Marie Goetz, Clinical Professor at New York University
There are few experts available in gender and religion, let alone gender and politics. Azza Karam covers both areas. Both are of great importance in the context of intensifying identity politics and the exploitation of gendered ideologies, languages, imagery etc. in the service of both right and left extremism. Dr. Karam is an acknowledged global specialist on gender and politics. .. She is a phenomenal analyst, writer, speaker, and thinker, enormously important in this field, influential also because of her knowledge of politics and religion in the Middle East.