The University will welcome two dignitaries who will lecture on campus this semester as part of the United Nations Pathways Lecture Series. Videoconferences and NGO briefings also are scheduled.

United Nations Lectures

On Wednesday, September 27, Jeffrey Laurenti, senior fellow at The Century Foundation, a nonprofit public policy research institution, will discuss “United Nations Reforms — Problems and Prospects” at 6:30 p.m. in Lenfell Hall, the Mansion, College at Florham.

Jeffrey Laurenti

Until 2003, Laurenti held the position of executive director of policy studies at the United Nations Association of the United States. He served as senior adviser to the United Nations Foundation, working as deputy director on the United Nations and global security initiative that the foundation established with the backing of The Century Foundation. He currently serves on the United Nation Association’s board of directors and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Laurenti is the author of numerous monographs on subjects ranging from international peace and security to United Nations reform. He has authored articles for The Christian Science Monitor, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, New York Newsday, the Los Angeles Times and international policy journals.

Laurenti’s broad experience is a result of the many roles he has held within state, national and international offices. From 1978–1984, he was executive director of the New Jersey Senate. And, he served as senior issues adviser to the Mondale/Ferraro campaign during the presidential election in 1984, using his experience in his own campaign as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986.

On Wednesday, November 8, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz will talk about “Cuba, in Its Region and in the World” at 6:30 p.m. in Room 100, Robison Hall Annex, Metropolitan Campus.

Ambassador Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz

Prior to his appointment to the United Nations, Malmierca Diaz was the Cuban ambassador to Belgium, the European Union and Luxembourg for three years. From 1998–2002, he served as deputy minister in Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation. In the same ministry, he previously served as director of the European and North American Division.

Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Malmierca Diaz was counsellor in charge of economic and trade affairs at the Cuban Embassy in Brazil. Until 1992, he was specialist on cooperation in the Division of Economics International Institutions of the State Committee for Economic Cooperation in Havana, Cuba. He started his career in 1981 in project management with ECIMETAL Enterprise, also in Havana.

All events are free. The lectures are preceded by a half-hour refreshment/reception period. The series is presented in conjunction with The Ambassador’s Club at the United Nations.

Videoconferences

Two videoconferences originating at the United Nations are planned and will be viewed at 10 a.m. in the ITV rooms on both campuses (Room 1132, Continuing Education Suite, Dickinson Hall, Metropolitan Campus, and Room 214, Dreyfuss Building, College at Florham).

On Thursday, October 12, “Postconflict Peace-building” will be discussed. Among the panelists are Elisabeth Lindenmayer, assistant secretary-general to the post of deputy chef de cabinet, Executive Office of the Secretary-General; and Ahmad Kamal, founder and president, the Ambassador’s Club at the United Nations; former ambassador of Pakistan to the United Nations; and honorary visiting professor, Petrocelli College (Metro).

On Thursday, November 2, the subject will be “Terrorism in the World Today,” and Robert Orr, assistant secretary-general for policy coordination and strategic planning, will be among the panelists. He was previously executive director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Prior to this, Orr served as director of the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C.

NGO Briefings

Faculty, staff and students are also invited to attend nongovernmental organization (NGO) briefings held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City starting in October. These U.N. briefings are open to Fairleigh Dickinson because it is one of only four universities in the country to earn accreditation as an NGO from the Department of Public Information of the United Nations. A pass is needed to attend the NGO briefings. To obtain a pass, e-mail elise@fdu.edu at least three days prior to the briefing. To view a list of the topics, go to http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/index.asp and click on Weekly Briefings.

For more information contact 201-692-7360 or e-mail elise@fdu.edu or go to the Web site http://www.globaleducation.edu .

September 2006

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Flor =
College at Florham, Madison, N.J.

Metro =
Metropolitan Campus, Teaneck, N.J.

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