Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, is appointed Honorary Doctor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway for his achievements in the global health field.
Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet and global health icon, was appointed Honorary Doctor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway earlier this week. Horton received the distinction for his achievements in the global health field.
As editor-in-chief from 1995, Horton has used his position to put controversial topics on the agenda on several occasions, as in 2014, when he allowed publication of an open letter that accused Israel of a massacre in Gaza. For this The Lancet received massive critique and Horton was personally threatened.
In his speech during the ceremony at UiT, Horton highlighted the natural bond between medicine and human rights. “People, as well as nations, are tied together in universal interdependence. Humans stands side by side, as does nations. Health issues cannot be solved in isolation, but require cooperation - often across borders - to be successful.”
The solidarity aspect was further emphasised in a presentation arranged by the University Hospital in Northern Norway (UNN) earlier the same day. “We all live in a global village and are thus globally responsible for the well-being of people around us”, was Horton’s clear message to the audience at the hospital.
Horton ended his presentation at the university pointing to UiT’s values of equality and inclusion, which are strengthened through learning and solidarity. “UiT is a global university voicing globally significant values and we should celebrate their international significance”. Which precisely was what being done when appointing Horton as Honorary Doctor to UiT.
