United States Secretary of State John Kerry will speak at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at IU, according to an IU press release.
Kerry will underscore the importance of U.S. leadership abroad and outline the priorities for U.S. foreign policy.
The School of Global and International Studies will celebrate the opening of the new Global and International Studies Building with Kerry.
IU President Michael McRobbie, Provost Lauren Robel and Lee Feinstein, founding dean of the school, will welcome Kerry to the University, according to the release.
Strengthening IU as a great international university is crucial, not only to those of in Indiana, but to those across the country and all over the world, McRobbie said in the release.
“Each day, Secretary Kerry guides our country through an increasingly complex, integrated and interconnected world that is shaping our contemporary society. Understanding and responding to these forces is of paramount concern to all of us,” McRobbie said in the release.
Former Sen. Richard Lugar, who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, who chaired the House Committee on Foreign Relations and co-chaired the 9/11 Commission, will also join Kerry on stage.
Kerry’s visit comes as IU begins a new chapter in its history of international engagement, Robel said in the release.
“We are marshaling our resources in unprecedented ways to provide our students and the world with highly informed global perspectives, through the deep knowledge of faculty members who possess remarkable international expertise,” Robel said.
Kerry will be the first sitting secretary of state to visit IU in 20 years.
“We are deeply honored that Secretary Kerry can join us to address major international issues and recognize IU’s and the state of Indiana’s commitment to providing students with the deep knowledge and sophisticated experience they need to be active, thoughtful and engaged citizens of the world,” McRobbie said in the release.
Kerry was sworn in as the 68th U.S. secretary of State in February 2013.
His address will be free and open to the public, but tickets will be required.
IU students, faculty and staff can find tickets at the IU Auditorium Box Office or on the IU auditorium’s website beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6.
The general public can find remaining tickets at the IU Auditorium Box Office or on the IU auditorium’s website beginning at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12.
All tickets are valid until 10:40 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, according to the release. Those in a stand-by line will fill any available seats at that time.
Those not in attendance can watch via live-stream broadcasting at broadcast.iu.edu.
“Secretary Kerry’s presence honors the commitment of our state and the university to consolidating IU’s position as one of the nation’s premier institutions for the study of global and international affairs,” Feinstein said in the release.
Ashleigh Sherman
