John Peter Bell
John Peter Bell is a former Canadian ambassador. He was concurrently appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mali and Niger then to Upper Volta and to the Ivory Coast. He later became Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Brazil then the High Commissioner to Malaysia.
Early life
John worked at a fish cannery at Namu, British Columbia when he was 14–15 years old. The fishing port is close to Bella Bella, home to Heiltsuk Nation. These early formative interactions with the Indigenous communities inspired his later work on Indigenous rights as a career diplomat.[1]
Philanthropy
In 2018, Bell provided for a gift to support the First Nations House of Learning at University of British Columbia (UBC). The aim is to increase Indigenous graduates in the university and enhance Indigenous history to aid a 'full and accurate understanding of Canadian history.' In addition, Bell's endowment supports the annual John P. Bell Lecture in Global Indigenous Rights in the university. The First Nations House of Learning is housed in the First Nations Longhouse to which his father Jack Bell was previously a lead donor.[1][2]
John P. Bell Lecture in Global Indigenous Rights
The lecture is hosted by the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies at the First Nations Longhouse on UBC Campus.
| Year | Speaker |
|---|---|
| 2016 | J. Wilton Littlechild[1] |
| 2017 | Victoria Tauli-Corpuz |
| 2018 | Sheila Nicholas |
| 2019 | Dalee Sambo Dorough |
| 2020 | Mariam Wallet Mohamed Aboubakrine[3] |
| 2021 | K’odi Nelson |
| 2024 | Kyle Powys Whyte[4] |
| 2025 | Dolly Kikon[5] |
External links
Notes
- ^ a b c Ward, Kevin (2018-06-05). "Bell Family Legacy Supports First Nations House of Learning". First Nations House of Learning. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Bell family legacy supports First Nations House of Learning". Give University of British Columbia. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ Alden, Charlotte (2020-02-11). "Annual Global Indigenous Rights lecture focuses on improving the lives of Indigenous women worldwide". The Ubyssey. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "Dr. Kyle Whyte: Indigenous Climate Action at the Speed of Consent". Centre for Climate Justice. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ "John P. Bell Global Indigenous Rights Lecture presents Dr. Dolly Kikon | Climate Solutions Research Collective". climatesolutions.ubc.ca. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
- ^ During Bell's mission, Upper Volta became known as Burkina-Faso in 1984.