By: Cornelia Walles, Communication Associate
“Looking back, a lot of my career achievements are linked to the Raoul Wallenberg Institute.” – John Kilowoko
When John Kilowoko arrived in Lund in 1992 to begin the Master’s Programme in International Human Rights Law, he could not have imagined how the experience would shape the rest of his life.
Originally from Tanzania, Kilowoko came to Sweden through a scholarship funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI). The programme, jointly offered by RWI and the Faculty of Law at Lund University, provided him with a strong academic foundation in international human rights law, humanitarian law, and refugee law.
John today
After completing his studies, Kilowoko was selected for a six-month internship at the UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, an opportunity made possible through the support of Professor Göran Melander, at that time Director of RWI and co-founder of the institute.
“I am very grateful for the full sponsorship I got through Sida and the Raoul Wallenberg
Institute in 1992/93 and the subsequent six-month internship programme at UNHCR
Headquarters in Geneva. This was made possible after Professor Göran Melander sponsored
my name as the only candidate from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute.”
John in front of his apartment at the time at Magistratsvägen in Lund.
The internship became the first step in a remarkable international career. Following his time in Geneva, Kilowoko joined UNHCR and went on to serve for 27 years in eight countries of East and Horn of Africa, Southern Africa and Central Europe. Much of his work focused on refugee protection, aiming at ensuring that the rights of refugees and asylum seekers were upheld and that the solutions could be found for displaced communities. For Kilowoko, the essence for that work was laid in Lund.
“The foundation given by the Institute was very solid. What I was taught in Lund was exactly
what I later saw reflected in practice throughout my professional life. Coordination, teamwork and partnerships were all part of the grounding I got in Lund. Those skills became essential throughout my career.”
He recalls how the programme emphasis on human rights, refugee law and humanitarian law translated directly into the realities he encountered throughout his career. ln reference to his contribution to the protection work in refugee protection in the mentioned countries, he acknowledges that the principles he learned at RWl, remained relevant.
John and classmates in Strasbourg, Council of Europe, when they went on a study tour of the International Organizations in France and Swtzerland.
Lund also offered him something equally important: a sense of community. Arriving in Sweden for the first time, Kilowoko found a welcoming environment among both students and staff. Living at Magistratsvägen with students from all over the world, he formed close friendships that extended far beyond the classroom.
“We were cooking together, chatting together, helping each other and celebrating together.
There was a very strong bond among the students, but also between the students and the staff at the Institute.”
Looking back with experience, his advice to current students is to make the most of both the academic and personal opportunities that Lund offers.
“Accumulate as much knowledge as possible because you never know how it will help you in
the future. And just as importantly, build relationships. The bonds you create with fellow
students, teachers and staff can last a lifetime.”
John defending his LLM thesis: “Human Rights of a Refugee: Implementation in Tanzania.”
Today, after retiring and returning to Tanzania, Kilowoko remains deeply grateful to RWI that helped launch his career and proud to see how the institute has grown its global engagement. More than thirty years after arriving in Lund, Kilowoko still sees the Raoul Wallenberg Institute as the starting point of a journey dedicated to human rights, international cooperation and service to others.
John and classmates
About the Master’s Programme in International Human Rights Law
The Master’s Programme in International Human Rights Law is a long-standing collaboration between the Raoul Wallenberg Institute and the Faculty of Law at Lund University. The programme is one of the most established and respected graduate programmes in the field, bringing together students from across the world to study international human rights law, public international law and related areas. Through a combination of academic excellence and practical perspectives, the programme prepares graduates for careers in international organisations, government institutions, civil society and academia.
Read more about the Master’s Programme in International Human Rights Law here