News Release
Contact: Stephanie Boyd 619/594-8762
SDSU President to Speak at Peres Center for Peace In Tel Aviv
San Diego, CA, October 16, 1997... San Diego State University President Stephen Weber will address an international audience in Tel Aviv, Monday, October 20 at the inaugural opening of The Peres Center for Peace. The invitation came following the signing of an agreement between the Fred J. Hansen Institute for World Peace at SDSU Foundation and The Peres Center for Peace during the former prime minister's recent visit at SDSU. As part of the agreement, President Weber has been asked to serve on The Peres Center International Board of Governors. Dr. Weber will join international leaders named to the Board, including Mr. Jimmy Carter, Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Bishop Desmond Tutu and others who have experience in the making of peace. Dr. Weber is the only university president to be appointed to the Board from the United States.
"Peace making is the work of governments and deals with the political aspects of conflict resolution," said Mr. Peres. "Peace development is the work of societies and is intended to implement practical peace between peoples." Such practical pursuits will be discussed following the inauguration during a two-day conference entitled, "The Challenges for Peace Towards the Year 2000." President Weber will be a presenter at the conference and will speak to "The Role of Education, Culture and Communications in Peace Making."
Discussions about the development of joint programs planned between the Hansen Institute and The Peres Center are also slated during the trip. "We are looking forward to continuing our cooperative efforts in implementing Middle East and Mediterranean Desert Development," said Harry Albers, executive director for the Hansen Institute. Albers will meet with Ambassador Uri Savir, executive director of The Peres Center and former chief negotiator for the peace process to plan future joint meetings and activities in support of the peace process.