Former Iranian president set to visit University

[cavalier302]

<p>

Former Iranian president set to visit University
Mohammad Khatami, president of Iran from 1997 to 2005, scheduled to give address in Rotunda next Thursday</p>

<p>Kristin Hawkins, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor </p>

<p>Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is scheduled to speak at the University next week, according to Sheri Winston, University director of TV news. </p>

<p>Khatami, who was president of Iran from 1997 to 2005, will speak in the Dome Room of the Rotunda room next Thursday afternoon. </p>

<p>The lecture will be sponsored by the University’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, an interdisciplinary research center and intellectual community at the University of Virginia, according to the Institute’s press release. </p>

<p>Event coordinator Marilyn Roselius said Religious Studies Prof. Abdulaziz Sachedina invited Khatami to speak. </p>

<p>Winston said the speech is an invitation-only event, as the Dome Room can accommodate only 140 people. </p>

<p>Roselius said the audience will be composed of faculty, students, administrators and friends of the University. </p>

<p>Faculty members from departments related to Middle Eastern studies will be involved in the process of selecting students to attend the lecture, Roselius said. </p>

<p>Khatami’s lecture will address the relationship between religion and democracy, Roselius said, and is intended to “open up a dialogue among civilizations.” </p>

<p>While in office, Khatami called for political democratization and the advancement of women, according to the Institute’s press release. Khatami also advocated improved relations between Iran and the West and between Iran and Arab nations. </p>

<p>Winston said University police are working with the State Department in order to provide security for Khatami’s visit. </p>

<p>Monticello spokesperson Kim Curtis said Khatami expressed interest in visiting Monticello, but no specific arrangements have been made for a visit. </p>

<p>Roselius said Khatami will return to Washington, D.C. after visiting the University to speak at the National Cathedral the same evening. </p>

<p>Khatami’s schedule also includes an address to the United Nations Sept. 6 and a speech at Harvard Sept. 10, Roselius said.

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<p><a href=“http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=27403&pid=1465[/url]”>http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=27403&pid=1465&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If only more tickets were available…</p>

[UVADeanJ]

<p>

If only more tickets were available…

Agreed.</p>

<p>When I was in school, these sorts of events were simulcast in several large lecture halls around campus (and later replayed on campus TV). Has UVA ever done this? I would think there’d be tremendous interest.</p>

[Globalist]

<p>That’s a good idea, Dean J. You should suggest it to Casteen’s office. </p>

<p>I love the fact that when President Khatami comes to the U.S., he chooses to speak at UVa, Harvard, and the United Nations.</p>

[cavalier302]

<p>I don’t know why they can’t hold it in a larger venue…Old Cabell Hall, maybe?</p>

[UVa_SVT]

<p>The Dome Room is a fittin room to speak in, but it does need to be simulcasted as well…</p>

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

<p>Maybe they would have had to pay Khatami a larger fee if they opened it up to more people or broadcast it.</p>

[sv3a]

<p>Lots of good speakers specifically like to speak at Rotunda Hall. It’s mainly the history that attracts them.</p>

[Globalist]

<p>Yeah, I can see that being true. The Rotunda has a lot of history. The Marquis de Lafayette was the first visitor to speak there in 1825, and Queen Elizabeth spoke in the Rotunda when she visited UVa during the US Bi-Centennial 1976. I think the Queen of Denmark and the former President of Portugal also spoke there when they visited in the early 90’s, but the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu spoke in Cabell Hall during the Nobel Peace Conference at UVa 8 years ago. Franklin Roosevelt spoke in the Amphitheater during WWII. Former Soviet leader Mikael Gorbachev spoke on the Lawn in 1993, and so did George Bush (senior) during the Governors Education Summit in 1989 which was attended by then governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton. (Incidentally, the Bush family has been to UVa several times since W’s brother Marvin graduated from the University in 1979 - along with the Kennedys since Senator Ted Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy both graduated from the Law School.) Hmmm, I don’t remember where President Mary McAleese of Ireland spoke when she came to UVa in 2002. </p>

<p>Well, all I know is security will be really tight.</p>

[Globalist]

<p>By the way, for a school that’s reportedly not that well-known outside the US, UVa surely attracts a lot of world leaders.</p>

[Globalist]

<p>Also, the first democratically elected prime minister of Slovenia spoke at UVa in 1991.</p>

[UVADeanJ]

<p>Did you all see the lead editorial on the CD today? Apparently, showing the speech live on closed circuit TVs in other venues “will not be provided because of security concerns”. The speech will be taped, but it doesn’t sound like it’ll be broadcast on TV.</p>

[Globalist]

<p>Here’s the answer to why Khatami is speaking at UVa and in the Rotunda:</p>

<p>

Abdulaziz Sachedina, a UVa professor of religious studies, is largely responsible for bringing Khatami to Charlottesville. Sachedina, who has known the former Iranian leader since they met at a 1982 conference in Tehran, said the invitation was extended about three months ago, once it was known Khatami would be visiting the United Nations.</p>

<p>“He agreed to come [to UVa] if he would be allowed to,” Sachedina said.</p>

<p>Because Khatami would be traveling to the United Nations at the request of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he would be confined to New York City only, unless the State Department granted him a visa to travel elsewhere within the country. Sachedina said a quiet campaign to lobby White House officials began that included not just those connected to UVa, but also top clergy at the National Cathedral in Washington, where Khatami will speak later this afternoon.</p>

<p>“We found out about 10 days ago that it would happen,” Sachedina said. “Since then, things have been moving very fast.”</p>

<p>He said organizers of Khatami’s visit to Charlottesville, which include UVa’s Institute for Advanced Studies of Culture, originally hoped to hold the speech at the Cabell Hall auditorium or possibly even University Hall, where large numbers of people would be able to attend - but the State Department put the kibosh on those notions. They weren’t going to be responsible for checking up on hundreds or even thousands of people. Therefore, the Rotunda, with its small venue, was chosen.

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[hazelorb]

<p>How about all the flyers all around Grounds about it?</p>

[cavalier302]

<p>Against it?</p>

[hazelorb]

<p>Yea. Those ones.</p>

[cavalier302]

<p>Meh. People will complain about just about anything these days. Be thankful you didn’t grow up in the 60’s.</p>