Powell to participate in Baker conference
Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell, former Prime Minister of Japan Noboru Takeshita and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney will be among a group of dignitaries discussing public policy challenges facing the world.
The conference is scheduled for Nov. 13 and 14 and will take place in the Stude Concert Hall in the Alice Pratt Brown Hall, which has a capacity of 800. Former President George Bush will deliver opening remarks, and James A. Baker III, the 61st secretary of state, will present the conference's keynote address.
The panel discussions will be moderated by Marvin Kalb of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
According to Calvin Preece, administrative coordinator at the Baker Institute, invitations will be sent out to faculty and staff shortly. Student seating will be limited. Tickets will be distributed through the colleges and the Student Advisory Committee on the Baker Institute. In addition, invitations will be sent out to elected members of some student organizations, as well as to "classes whose areas of study include topics related to the conference theme and panels."
"What we hope comes out of these discussions is a product that will allow us to have some input in the direction of foreign policy in the U.S. and [around the world]," Preece said.
Edward P. Djerejian, director of the Baker Institute, said, "This inaugural Annual Conference will provide policy makers, public officials, academics, students and professionals representing a variety of fields with an opportunity to examine foreign policy challenges facing the international community today and as we approach the 21st century.
"These conferences will be an important part of the Baker Institute's mandate to lend a meaningful voice to our nation's dialogue on the vital issues we face in the decade ahead," Djerejian said.
Preece had the same opinion.
"I hope it increases the visibility of Rice nationally and internationally and that it will help establish the Baker Institute as a major player in the realm of public policy institutes," he said.
The theme of this year's conference is "Foreign Policy Challenges at the End of the Century." It will feature three panels: "Economic Reform in Russia and China," "Politico-Military Factors and the Future of Warfare" and "Cultural, Ethnic and Religious Factors in International Affairs." Each panel will consist of notable politicians, academicians and journalists from around the world.
In a related development, the conference will be broadcasted live across the Rice campus on one of the cable channels.
"It's the first time that we're going to air an event over the cable TV network," Kevin Long, director of information technology development, said.
"We are hoping to simulcast it not only over cable but also over the Internet which will allow people with sufficiently fast Internet connections to view the proceedings," Long said.
Approximately $100,000 is being invested in additional equipment for the cable TV network.
The event will also be screened across campus at several "central" locations.
Preece said that the Baker Institute will be involved in the production of educational materials after the conference is over.
"Our intent is to ultimately make [the educational product] available to very large audiences, not only at Rice but also beyond the hedges," Preece said. He said that one of the media under consideration for the product was CD-ROM.
In addition to the panel discussions, the first Enron Prize for distinguished public service, made possible through a gift from the Enron Corporation, will be presented. This prize will become part of the annual conference and will be awarded to individuals with outstanding accomplishments in public service.
This item appeared in the News section of the September 29, 1995 issue.
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