Anglican Communion announces appointment of a new representative to the UN
The Social and Public Affairs Adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury has been appointed as the new Anglican Communion representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Jack Palmer-White has worked at Lambeth Palace since 2012, initially as parliamentary assistant and then as a policy adviser focusing on marriage and family life, before taking up his current role two years ago.
Mr Palmer-White has a passion for international affairs, with a first degree in International Politics and an MSc in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics, specialising in Religion in the Contemporary World:
“I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Anglican Communion Office as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva. Throughout my career, I have seen the transformative impact that the church plays in issues of global significance, whether it be meeting the needs of refugees through Anglican chaplaincies, helping to educate communities about HIV and Ebola, or bringing stories of the impact of climate change to international prominence, he said.
“The Anglican Communion has a central role to play in shaping how global institutions such as the United Nations approach the major issues of our time and I look forward to helping represent and raise up Anglican voices around the table at the UN and other multilateral organisations in Geneva.”
Before Lambeth Palace, Mr Palmer-White worked in international development, as a campaigner for Tearfund, and in political polling, for a major national polling company. During the 2012 US Presidential election cycle, he was based in Washington DC as Communications Associate for Sojourners, a faith-based organisation working on social justice issues. He is married to Rosanne, who is the UK director of an international development agency.
His predecessor in the UN role was the Revd Flora Winfield who held the post for three years.