Dr Clarence Jones, speechwriter and legal counsel for Dr Martin Luther King Jr, addressed the Graduate Institute on Monday to celebrate King’s legacy half a century after the historic civil rights march on Washington DC on 28 August 1963.

Dr Jones said that Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Martin Luther King’s commitment to non-violent protest is unparalleled in our time and that “we will never see such a star in this lifetime again”.

“In his 12 years of activity Martin Luther King Jr may have done more to achieve equality in the United States than anyone in the previous 400 years of the country’s history”, Dr Jones said.

In Geneva for the 11th Gathering for Human Rights, organised by the Graduate Institute, the Canton and Republic of Geneva, and the Permanent Mission of the United States, Dr Jones challenged the city’s international organisations to be more proactive to stop violence and discrimination.

Jones said he had never seen King deliver such a magical and enthusiastic performance as he did on the day of the march.

“I was standing near him and I had no idea he would read the suggested text I gave him the night before”, said Dr Jones. “Although he read my paragraphs, much of what is celebrated about that speech today was spontaneous,” he added.

After the presentation Jones left Geneva to join US President Barack Obama at the White House to commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the “I have a Dream” speech on 28 August.

Dr Jones was introduced by Pierre Maudet, State Councillor of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, Betty King, United States Ambassador to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, and Jean-Luc Chopard, Director of Protocol for the Canton of Geneva. The discussion was moderated by Institute Professor Andrew Clapham, Director of the Geneva Academy for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. The event took place at the World Meteorological Organisation.

Watch the US Mission’s interview of Clarence Jones: