George McGovern in Nov. 9 Thompson Forum at UNL

"America: the Road Ahead at Home and Abroad," is the topic for a conversation with former U.S. Rep. and Sen. George McGovern at the next E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The forum will begin at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 N. 12th St.

McGovern will answer questions from Will Norton, dean of the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications, in a break from the forum's regular lecture format. Questions will be entertained from the audience at the discussion's conclusion. Following the forum, McGovern will have a book-signing.

McGovern served as a U.S. representative and senator representing South Dakota, and was also the Democratic nominee in the 1972 presidential election. After leaving the Senate in 1980, he taught as a visiting professor at a number of institutions, including Columbia, Northwestern, Duke and Cornell universities and the University of Berlin. In 1976, President Gerald Ford named McGovern a United Nations delegate to the General Assembly, and, in 1978, President Jimmy Carter named him a United Nations delegate for the Special Session on Disarmament. He served as president of the Middle East Policy Council from 1991-1998, when President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. In 2001, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan named him honorary United Nations Global Ambassador on World Hunger.

McGovern received his bachelor's degree from Dakota Wesleyan University in 1946. Midway through college, he put his education on hold to fly 35 combat missions as a B-24 bomber pilot in Europe, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After graduating, McGovern earned his master's degree and Ph.D. in American history and government at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

A prolific author and speaker, McGovern has lectured at more than 1,000 colleges and universities around the world. He has also received many honorary degrees and distinguished awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, which was bestowed upon him by Clinton on Aug. 9, 2000.

Clinton acknowledged McGovern's contribution to society with this statement on the McGovern Library Web site: "George McGovern is one of the greatest humanitarians of our time. He still imparts to us the power... and the courage of his convictions."

Other forum activities include a pre-talk presentation, by Ron Hull of NET, at 6:30 p.m. in the Lied's Steinhart Room. Both events are free and open to the public. As with most lectures and events, attendees are encouraged to not bring backpacks and large bags or belongings. For a link to up-to-date Thompson Forum activities, see www.unl.edu/ucomm/enthompson.

The lecture will be broadcast live on the UNL Web site (www.unl.edu), Lincoln cable Channel 21, UNL campus TV Channel 8, NEBSAT 105 and KRNU radio station (90.3 FM). Other future lecturers in the forum's 19th season are author and economist Clyde Prestowitz Feb. 8, and public health expert and best-selling author Sherwin Nuland March 22. The forum's 2006-07 theme is "Challenges and Change."

For 19 years, Thompson Forum has brought a diversity of viewpoints on international and public policy issues to UNL and the citizens of the state in an effort to promote understanding and encourage debate. The lecture series, a cooperative project of the Cooper Foundation, the Lied Center and UNL, has a mission of promoting better understanding of world events and issues to all Nebraskans. In 1990, the series was named in honor of E.N. "Jack" Thompson (1913-2002), a 1933 graduate of the University of Nebraska, who served as president of the Cooper Foundation from 1964 to 1990 and as its chairman from 1990 until his death.

CONTACTS: Annette Wetzel, Director of Special Events, University Communications, (402) 472-8524; and
Kelly Bartling, News Manager, University Communications, (402) 472-2059