Thursday, September 07, 2006

Iron Lady Abroad

From our friend Scott who works in public radio in Oklahoma:

NORMAN - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will
headline the University of Oklahoma's seventh Foreign Policy Conference,
scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14, on the OU Norman campus.

The conference, "Africa and Prospects for Hope," will include Sirleaf's
keynote address during the President's Associates luncheon, to be held
at noon in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in Oklahoma Memorial Union., 900
Asp Ave., as well as two panel discussions and the opening of the
Oklahoma Diplomatic Archives at the Western History Collections.
Reservations are required for all events.

"President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is one of the most impressive national
leaders in the world today," OU President David L. Boren said. "Her
political courage and her vision for the future of Africa are
inspirational. It is an honor for the entire state for her to pay a
visit to Oklahoma."

With a professional and political career spanning nearly four decades,
Sirleaf, who often is referred to as the "Iron Lady," is the first
democratically elected woman to head an African country. She was sworn
into the office of president of Liberia in January. She also ran for the
office as the Unity Party's presidential candidate in the controversial
1997 Liberia general elections, where the official results placed her
second to Charles Taylor in a field of 13. She remains the leader of the
Unity Party.
Scott wants to know what he should ask her if he gets a chance for a question. Any of our readers have a suggestion for him? Liberians?

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

How does she plan to balance the call for a truth and reconciliation commission with the desire of the victims of the war to see justice served?

5:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does she have a plan for luring some of the Liberian diaspora back from abroad? Are there incentives for educated Liberians to return home and work for a better Liberia? During her trip to the US would be a great time to announce something like that.

5:14 PM  

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