Thomas E. Gouttierre is a key figure in the American-Afghani relationship. (UNO Photo)
A leading authority on Afghanistan will assess that war-torn nation's future prospects during a talk at 4:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in the University of Wyoming Education auditorium. The forum is free and open to the public.
Thomas E. Gouttierre, the University of Nebraska/Omaha dean of international studies and programs and director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies, will discuss "Assessing Afghanistan in 2011: Opportunities and Challenges Ten Years after 9/11."
America is invested in Afghanistan's future and Gouttierre is a key figure in the American-Afghani relationship, says Jean Garrison, UW director of international studies. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer, a Fulbright fellow, a senior political affairs officer on the United Nations peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan in 1996-97, and a member of the International Rescue Committee's Citizens Commission on Afghanistan Refugees.
Gouttierre also will speak at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington Wednesday, Sept. 28, and Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne Friday, Sept. 30. His visit is part of the statewide International Studies Scholar Lecture Series, now in its third year. The program is funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant to the UW International Studies Program in partnership with all seven Wyoming community colleges.
"Our International Studies consortium among Wyoming colleges has created a broad-ranging dialogue on international issues and illustrates our commitment to share resources to bring significant speakers on a variety of global issues to Wyoming," says Garrison. "Our next goal is to sponsor a new World to Wyoming Initiative to build support to sustain this project beyond this fall."
The lecture series is sponsored by the UW International Studies Program, the Wyoming Humanities Council, and the UW Office of Academic Affairs. For more information, contact Garrison at garrison@uwyo.edu or (307) 766-6119.
