The Institute of World Politics has contributed to an effort to build a library in Africa named in honor of the former professor Ambassador Thomas P. Melady.
Amb. Melady, who passed away in January 2014, taught diplomacy at IWP for many years, and had formerly served as U.S. Ambassador to Burundi, Uganda, and the Holy See. A specialist in African leaders and politics, Amb. Melady dedicated much of his life to working for peace and building bridges between the U.S. and Africa.
The Ambassador Thomas Melady Memorial Library will be constructed by the nonprofit Buildings & Books, and will serve as a community children’s library in an underserved, rural community in Kenya. Buildings & Books is dedicated to increasing literacy, improving educational opportunities, and reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, and has constructed and equipped four libraries in rural areas of Kenya.
IWP was pleased to give a gift in the amount of $1,000 towards this library to honor the memory of Amb. Melady, who served as an extraordinary mentor to many students at the Institute.
Photo above courtesy of Buildings & Books.
Above: Amb. Thomas Melady receives an award at a dinner for the IWP Board of Trustees, May 2012.