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MATC to Host Lech Walesa
as Keynote Speaker at International Peacekeeping Conference
Madison Area Technical College
(MATC) will host Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace prize laureate and the former
president of Poland, and other notable speakers during the Wisconsin Institute
of Peace and Conflict Studies' Oct. 24-26 "International Peacekeeping
and Peacemaking: A Time of Crisis, A Time for Hope" conference. Walesa
opens the conference Oct. 24 with a 7 p.m. keynote address in the MATC
Mitby Theater at Truax, 3550 Anderson Street in Madison.
A press conference with Walesa
is planned tentatively for that same afternoon with details to be announced
at a later date.
MATC, with support from its
Foundation, full and part-time faculty unions and student Programs and
Activities Council, is cosponsoring this event with the Wisconsin Institute
for Peace and Conflict Studies. Walesa's lecture is presented as part
of the college's Global Horizons Distinguished Lecture Series.
This event marks the Wisconsin
Institute's 17th annual fall conference. However, this year organizers
are feeling a particular urgency behind their efforts. "While the
U.S. and the world still are reeling from the tragedy of September 11,"
states Geoff Bradshaw, a Wisconsin Institute executive council member
and the multicultural and international programs coordinator for MATC,
"now more than ever it is essential that scholars, activists, policy-makers
and concerned citizens join together to discuss the implementation of
networks of peace and interdependence."
The goal of the Wisconsin Institute,
a consortium of Wisconsin public and private higher learning institutions,
is to facilitate dialogue and discussion between individuals with both
academic and practical expertise in international peacekeeping and peacemaking.
More information is available at http://www.wisconsin-institiute.org
(click on Annual Fall Conferences).
According to Bradshaw, several
months ago Walesa approached MATC and other U.S. community colleges to
schedule speaking engagements. The goal of the political and labor leader
is to raise awareness of global issues in history, particularly among
youth. During October, Walesa also will speak in other parts of the midwest.
In addition to Walesa, conference speakers include:
- Abbas Hamdani, political
scientist and co-founder of the Milwaukee Area Arab-Jewish Dialogue
and Islamic Christian Dialogue - "Peace Efforts to End the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict"
- Mel Duncan, Global Nonviolent
Peace Force - "Nonviolent Peaceful Intervention"
- Ron Glossop, author and
educator - "Teaching about War and Peace."
- Peter Ackerman and Jack
DuVall, creators of the Public Broadcasting Services' documentary, "A
Force More Powerful,"- screening and discussion.
Issues that will be addressed
at the conference include:
- Terrorism and peacekeeping:
new challenges and understandings
- United Nations ready force
peacekeeping;
- nonviolent peacekeeping
missions;
- proactive peace and community
building initiatives;
- and regional examinations
of peace and conflict.
The full conference fee for
the public, including Walesa's address, is $60. Tickets for Walesa's address
also may be purchased separately for $20. Discounted prices are available
to students and Wisconsin Institute members. A post-lecture reception
and question/answer session with Walesa is available to a limited number
of guests for an additional $25. Individuals can register for the conference
or purchase tickets by calling 608/246-6227, or 800/322-6282, ext. 6227.
MATC is one of the largest
of the Wisconsin Technical College System's 16 colleges. Its Global Horizon
Distinguished Lecture series puts individual students, faculty and community
members in contact with global figures who are making a difference in
the world through their commitment, involvement and action. The series
goal is to provide new levels of global awareness and new perspectives
on issues of diversity and multiculturalism.
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Last
Modified:
January 19, 2007
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