Carter to speak at UI
Colin Burke - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: Metro
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The UI Lecture Committee announced on Wednesday that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will speak at the UI next month, prompting praise and criticism from members of the university community.
Carter, whose best-selling book Palestine Peace not Apartheid has drawn criticism from groups such as the Anti-Defamation League, will deliver this year's Distinguished Lecture at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 18.
"President Carter looks forward to a discussion with students and faculty about the need to bring peace and security to Israel and peace with justice to the Palestinians," Deanna Congileo, Carter's press secretary, said in a statement.
The former mediator of the 1978 Camp David Accords was formally invited to speak at the UI by Shannon Thomas, current chairwoman of the lecture committee. The group received a letter of acceptance from the Carter Center, the former president's nonprofit organization, on March 9.
"We saw this as an opportunity to put the UI on the map," Thomas said. "He has a wonderful history of making a difference across the world."
( DITV video feature )
But members of the UI community on Wednesday expressed varying views about Carter's impending speech, which will be free and open to the public.
Hillel Director Jerry Sorokin said he was concerned about the UI Lecture Committee soliciting questions for Carter before the event - a request that the panel made in a university-wide e-mail announcing the lecture.
Students can submit questions via the committee's website or at the University Box Office.
Sorokin said if the group screened the questions in advance, it makes it unlikely that controversial viewpoints would be aired.
Carter, whose best-selling book Palestine Peace not Apartheid has drawn criticism from groups such as the Anti-Defamation League, will deliver this year's Distinguished Lecture at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 18.
"President Carter looks forward to a discussion with students and faculty about the need to bring peace and security to Israel and peace with justice to the Palestinians," Deanna Congileo, Carter's press secretary, said in a statement.
The former mediator of the 1978 Camp David Accords was formally invited to speak at the UI by Shannon Thomas, current chairwoman of the lecture committee. The group received a letter of acceptance from the Carter Center, the former president's nonprofit organization, on March 9.
"We saw this as an opportunity to put the UI on the map," Thomas said. "He has a wonderful history of making a difference across the world."
( DITV video feature )
Video in QuickTime format, click here for free player download
But members of the UI community on Wednesday expressed varying views about Carter's impending speech, which will be free and open to the public.
Hillel Director Jerry Sorokin said he was concerned about the UI Lecture Committee soliciting questions for Carter before the event - a request that the panel made in a university-wide e-mail announcing the lecture.
Students can submit questions via the committee's website or at the University Box Office.
Sorokin said if the group screened the questions in advance, it makes it unlikely that controversial viewpoints would be aired.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
Mike Lavery
posted 3/30/07 @ 2:24 PM CST
President Carter has largely been discredited as a statesman or anyone who had a good grasp of global events. He seems to be generous with his time in behalf of Habitat for Humanity but why he would be a "distinguished lecturer" is a mystery to me when there have to be many more, highly qualified candidates for the presentation. (Continued…)
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