Newswise — His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, delivers an address Feb. 3 at the University of Mississippi.
The address is to focus on the latest developments in the Middle East, Jordan's reform process and King Abdullah's efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and cross-cultural understanding. Sponsored by the university's Trent Lott Leadership Institute, the king's visit includes a meeting with university students and officials, capped by a public address at 2 p.m (Central) at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
The speech and a question-and-answer session with students will be broadcast live over the Internet. To view the webcast, go to http://www.olemiss.edu and follow the link at the bottom.
For security reasons, the audience will be screened and must be seated one hour prior to the king's public address. Doors to the Ford Center will open at noon and free, limited seating is on a first-come, first-admitted basis. No electronic devices, large bags or backpacks are permitted in the auditorium.
"King Abdullah is a progressive leader and one of the Middle East region's leading voices of moderation," said William Gottshall, executive director of the Lott Institute.
Educated at Sandhurst and Oxford in England and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., King Abdullah joined the Jordanian military in 1984. He became head of Jordan's Special Forces in 1994, and attained the rank of major general in 1998. He succeeded to the crown in 1999 upon the death of his father, Hussein I, whose moderate policies he has continued.
King Abdullah has worked toward the establishment of a comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, in addition to continuing Jordan's policies of being a moderate voice in the Middle East.
"We are very honored to have King Abdullah visit the university," said Richard Forgette, chair of the UM Department of Political Science. "It is great opportunity and ideal time for our students to learn about Jordan and the politics of the Middle East. Particularly, students concerned with the global and Middle Eastern politics, political economy and security issues will benefit from attending."
The king has also been involved in the drive for national administrative reform, as well as governmental transparency and accountability. King Abdullah has been working on the advancement of civil liberties, making Jordan one of the most progressive countries in the Middle East.
King Abdullah has also been working on promoting the Amman Message, an initiative that elucidates the true values of Islam and promotes tolerance and understanding among faiths.
"Presenting national and world leaders to our students is a responsibility we embrace," said UM Chancellor Robert Khayat. "Thanks to Senator Lott and Bill Gottshall, our community has a rare opportunity to meet and hear the dynamic, highly respected King of Jordan. February 3 will be an exciting day at Ole Miss."
For more information or for assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-7236. For more information on the Lott Leadership Institute, go to http://www.lottinst.olemiss.edu/(tobie baker)
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