On January 28, 2026, ICTJ held its annual January for Justice Leaders benefit dinner in New York City, an event celebrating leaders advancing justice around the world. This edition also marked the beginning of ICTJ’s 25th anniversary year and served as an opportunity to look back on a quarter century spent standing alongside victims, civil society, and institutions in the pursuit of truth, accountability, and lasting peace after mass atrocities. In this spirit, the evening featured a powerful conversation on the role of women leaders in peace and justice efforts.
This year, the benefit dinner honored Joan Spero and Buzz Tenny, two longtime ICTJ leaders whose vision and commitment have shaped the organization’s evolution. Spero, an expert in international political economy, served on ICTJ’s Board of Directors from 2011 to 2022. She co-chaired the Board from 2018 to 2019 before becoming its chair, a position she held until her retirement. Tenny, a distinguished figure in philanthropy and community development, also served as a member of ICTJ’s Board of Directors from 2011 to 2019 and co-chaired it alongside Spero from 2018 to 2019. Spero and Tenny continue to support ICTJ as members of its Honorary Council. Both embody the very qualities ICTJ stands for: principled leadership, strategic wisdom, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to justice.
Their contributions were highlighted throughout the night. “It is hard to find the right ways to address systemic injustice. But Buzz and Joan have shown us a way,” said Susan Berresford, former President of the Ford Foundation. Kofi Appenteng, former ICTJ board chair and last year’s honoree, added: “Having co-chairs can be challenging, but Joan and Buzz’s partnership worked. Joan’s classical guitar was accompanied by Buzz’s piano playing. They listened to each other and helped build ICTJ’s continued success.”
The evening also featured a powerful conversation on the role of women leaders in transitional justice. Maria Camila Moreno, head of ICTJ’s Colombia office, spoke about her 2023 appointment to the Colombian government’s delegation to the peace negotiations with one of the country’s remaining dissident armed groups, as well as the invaluable lessons she learned in her more than two decades in the field. “I learned so much—to listen, to put myself in the shoes of the other,” she said. “If we want peace, we must recognize that everyone has their own story, and we have to learn how to listen to all of them.”
Nour El Bejjani Noureddine, head of ICTJ’s Lebanon and Yemen programs, shared an emotional testimony about what drives her in her work. “I approach my work not only as a professional or activist, but as a victim myself. When you are working on issues that impact you directly, you can relate to them; you can feel them,” she explained. During the recent Israeli aggression in Lebanon, she and her family, including three children, were displaced on two separate occasions. “I will never forget how it feels to leave your house without knowing when you'll be able to return,” she continued. “This empowers me to act for change. Justice is not a slogan: it is a need. As a victim, I need justice to heal; as an activist, because I want peace for my country; and as a mother, because I don’t want my children to inherit this unresolved past. I want them to love Lebanon as much as I do, and I want them to be able to live in peace and justice.”
In honor of ICTJ’s 25th anniversary, speakers reflected on the organization’s origins in 2001 and its founding principle: confronting the past is essential to building a more just future. “ICTJ is a very special organization,” Tenny said. “It focuses on the needs of victims and operates with the conviction that those closest to the problems must play a central role in their solution.”
"We not only celebrate the achievements of this remarkable organization but also reaffirm our shared commitment to peace, justice, and inclusive democracies," asserted H.E. Katja Lasseur, the Dutch ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council, in her remarks. “Our collaboration reflects a shared belief: justice is not just a value, but a powerful instrument for preventing violence, fostering stability, and building sustainable peace.”
The anniversary also serves as an occasion to look forward—to embrace the challenges ahead with the same courage and clarity that have defined ICTJ’s mission from the beginning. It is a moment for renewed commitment, as the work of justice is never finished. “We at ICTJ are deeply grateful to all those who have contributed to our work—long-time allies as well as new partners,” said ICTJ’s executive director, Fernando Travesí-Sanz. “Together, anchored by moral principles and shared humanity, and driven by the transformative power of truth and justice, this dedicated community will meet the future with purpose.”
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PHOTO: ICTJ Deputy Executive Director and Director of Program Anna Myriam Roccatello (center) moderates a panel discussion with Maria Camila Moreno (left) and Nour El Bejjani Noureddine (right) at the January for Justice Leaders benefit dinner in New York on January 28, 2026. (Maria Melin/ICTJ)
