His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein was born in 1964 in Amman, Jordan. He is the son of Prince Ra’ad bin Zeid, Lord Chamberlain of Jordan, and Swedish-born wife Margaretha Inga Elisabeth Lind, known as Majda Ra’ad.

HRH Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein is the Perry World House Professor of the Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former Jordanian diplomat who also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2014 to 2018. He played a central role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court, and was elected the first president of the Assembly of State Parties of the International Criminal Court in September 2002. He also served as a political affairs officer in UNPROFOR in the former Yugoslavia from 1994 to 1996.

A career diplomat, he served as Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2000 until 2007, when he was appointed as Jordan’s Ambassador to the United States and non-resident Ambassador to Mexico. He was re-appointed Permanent Representative in 2010 and served until 2014, resigning shortly before his selection as High Commissioner.

In early 2019, Prince Zeid was invited to join The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice and human rights founded by Nelson Mandela.

In 2020, His Royal Highness Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein was awarded the Liberal International Prize for Freedom. Nominated by LI member party: Swedish People’s Party of Finland (SFP) for his extensive resumé in championing human rights.

Photo: Press conference of the High Commissioner for Human Rights