Elizabeth Mpyisi

Elizabeth is a Barrister and a former UNHCR Senior Legal Advisor with over 25 years’ experience with humanitarian relief programs globally; She is a Trustee of the Desmond Tutu Foundation UK; a Mindfulness Practitioner, Presenter & Trainer.

She has previously been the Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at Mindfulness Initiative UK and is an early founding Member of the Mindfulness Network for People of Colour (MNCP).

Elizabeth is an active Member of the Urban Mindfulness Foundation (UMF) based in Newham, UK; Member of the Mindfulness Network for Social Change (MNSC); as well as a Member of the Mindful Workplace Community since it’s launch in 2020. Since leaving the United Nations, Elizabeth undertook a career change, choosing the path of Mindfulness.

Elizabeth has completed the following Mindfulness courses and is an active Member of a number of Charities:

  • Mindfulness for Peak Performance at Monash University, Australia (online) in 2017
  • Attended 5 day retreat at Oxford Mindfulness Centre “Compassion in Action” in 2018 under the direction of Mark Williams, William Kuyken and colleagues
  • Appointed as The Ruth King Coordinator Group 1 UK (2020-21 Cohort) 1- year programme on “Mindful of Race”.
  • Currently studying the 2 year MMTCP Teacher Training Certification Course under Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
  • A graduate of Mindful Self-Compassion MSC course;
  • Graduate of the Shamash Alidina Teaching Mindfulness Academy (SA) 2022
  • Member of the Guildford and Godalming Inter-faith Group;
  • Member of Woking People of Faith (Surrey);
  • Member of the National Academy of Social Prescribing.
  • A mitra at the London Buddhist Centre
  • Graduate of the Breathworks Mindfulness for Health Course
  • Attended MBSR Course – Clare Garthwaite in Farnham 2019
  • Attended MBCT Course – Gill Johnson in 2018
  • Completed the Youth Mindfulness Course (in person)
  • Presented Mindfulness talks at International Conferences: MiSP, International Mindfulness Conference in Denmark
  • As a member/former Trustee of the Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum based in Guildford, developed pathways and access to the needs of minoritized individuals and groups

As Co-author of book “Afrikan Wisdom ” edited by Valerie Mason-John (Vimalasara) 2021, Elizabeth has been published on UBUNTU MINDFULNESS.

Elizabeth has worked in numerous countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Kenya, Switzerland, former Yugoslavia, South Sudan and the UK.

As Senior Legal Advisor in the UN Office of Ethics and Inspector General’s Office, and throughout her career she engaged with academia, judges, community groups,asylum seekers, refugees, vulnerable groups. She is fluent in written and spoken French.

Elizabeth is also engaged in the study of Ubuntu Mindfulness and its application in day to day activities “off the cushion.”