•Written by The Editors• ••Wednesday•, 16 •April• 2008 16:50•
Well-known in the Lake Geneva Region, particularly among those involved with amateur theatre and professionally among media specialists, Christopher Powell, 56, died last Friday morning 11 April 2008 while on a field training mission in Tunis. A former BBC television producer and Geneva foreign correspondent, Chris was the senior World Health Organization communication officer for the Family and Community Health Cluster. He served with WHO for 16 years and touched many lives around the world.
According to WHO, Chris fell ill last Wednesday April 9, 2008 and was immediately rushed to hospital, but died two days later. Chris Powell, who lived in Gex, France, is survived by his wife, Jan, and three children, Abigail, George and Hugo.
Chris was particularly known for his unique, creative and provocative sense of humour. He was very active in the Geneva Amateur Operatic Society and fondly remembered for his cunningly oily 2007 role as Fagan in Oliver. "Chris' death was a terrible shock. He was always so full of life and wry humour, it's hard to imagine all that energy gone from the world," noted Iain Simpson, a former WHO colleague now with the Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington, USA.
As noted by WHO, Chris' special TV broadcasting expertise was the foundation of his communication training and helped many WHO representatives speak more clearly and confidently, which in turn helped enhance the health organization's more modern global image.
WHO has established a condolence book available for staff in the lobby on level SS1 in front of the coffee shop. For those who wish to send an electronic message, please use the following address: •This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it• . WHO will pass all your messages on to Chris's family.
The body rests at the Chapelle de la Cluse (Murith) 89, Bd de la Cluse, Geneva. The funeral service will take place at the Auditoire Calvin, 1 Place de la Taconnerie, Geneva, on Monday 21 April at 1430H. Transportation will be available for WHO staff wishing to attend. Buses will leave from the WHO main entrance at 1330H on Monday 21st April, 2008.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that contributions be made to "Friends of India" (CCP 17-753012-7).
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