BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May will kick off a new Lehigh University speaker series.
May, who was prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party from 2010-16, will speak on Oct. 24 as the first lecturer of Compelling Perspectives presented by Lehigh University, the university announced.
- Lehigh University will launch a new lecture series called Compelling Perspectives
- Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the Conservative Party, will be the inaugural speaker on Oct. 24
- Registration is required to attend the series
The host for the program will be Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble, according to a news release.
The goal of the series is to present diverse viewpoints on important social issues.
Later in the semester, the series will offer a speaker with a viewpoint different from May's, the release said.
Ultimately, the series hopes to open conversations on challenging topics.
“Colleges and universities play an important role in modeling respectful public discourse and dialogue on complex issues," Helble said.
The theme of the series will be national security during the 2023-24 school year.
Specific topics include the ongoing war in Ukraine, the release of President Biden’s national security strategy and heightened geopolitical tensions in Asia and Africa.
"Compelling Perspectives presents a fresh and nuanced approach to engaging in vital dialogue.”Brett Ludwig, Lehigh’s vice president of communications and public affairs
“In a society made more divisive by amplified intolerance and singular-view echo chambers," Lehigh Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Brett Ludwig said.
"Compelling Perspectives presents a fresh and nuanced approach to engaging in vital dialogue.”
The ultimate goal of the series is to build a bridge across ideological divides and strengthen trust within the community, which the university believes will better equip students to face complex challenges, according to the release
“I have spoken often of my view that engaging with others respectfully, even and especially when discussing issues on which we disagree, is of paramount importance in fostering a healthy and productive society,” Helble said.
Advance registration is required to attend the series.