Cultural Understanding and Tolerance
By Amalia Safran ’13
As part of the Kenner Lecture Series at Lehigh University, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright spoke to a filled Baker Hall Tuesday evening.
Albright was the 64th Secretary of State prior to serving as the permanent United States representative to the United Nations from 1993 to 1997. Currently, she is a professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Immediately, the crowd reveled as Albright took the stage and mentioned beating Duke University in March Madness last year.
“I predict the Mountain Hawks will rock the world again,” Albright said.
Albright’s comical anecdotes about airport security not recognizing her and her ambitious childhood as the president of the international club in high school, a club she created, made for a speech that was engaging, inspirational and informative.
Albright spoke about the importance of education, and specifically a global education. She commended Lehigh’s global perspective and the many international opportunities the university offers.
“The pursuit of truth will be a global one,” Albright said. She explained that we are in an era of collaboration extending to every corner of the globe.
Albright spoke about the importance of education, and specifically a global education. She commended Lehigh’s global perspective and the many international opportunities the university offers.
“The pursuit of truth will be a global one,” Albright said. She explained that we are in an era of collaboration extending to every corner of the globe.
Though Albright did mention the importance of global connections, she also talked about the problems we face on the international front. Differing political sentiments and religious faiths have posed problems for the world. She compared religion to a knife, saying that it can butter a neighbor’s piece of toast, or it can stab a friend. These differences are what make a diverse world community, but Albright said, “We are too often unable to realize differences,” and the road to peace is harder to come by.
After Albright’s remarks encouraging students to continue learning from courses as well as from their peers, there was a question-and-answer session on contemporary international affairs facilitated by Professor Henri Barkey of the international relations department and Professor Vera Fennel of the political science department.
Questions from the audience sparked conversation about the United States’ relationship with other countries, mainly North Korea and China. Albright explained that there needs to be a regional solution to international affairs and, “a set of rules of the road.” She stated that this is the only way we can monitor countries that pose a threat to international affairs.
Albright underscored the importance of communication during peace talks in foreign affairs. “I believe you gain nothing by not talking…I am for engagement,” Albright said.
She also emphasized the importance of communication in interpersonal relationships while at Lehigh. “I ask only that you make a real effort to keep learning and instead of listening only to people whose views make you the most comfortable, study instead those who make you the most upset,” Albright said.
This sentiment about learning and challenging views is something that stuck with some Lehigh students.
“She encouraged me to learn more about other cultures,” Amber Marciano, ’13 said. “She challenged me to not stick to what I am familiar with but to go out, learn new things and have different intellectual conversations. It was really inspiring.”
Albright’s lecture on Cultural Understanding and Tolerance is part of an endowed lecture series of the College of Arts and Sciences, established by Jeffrey Kenner, ’65, in 1997.
February 19, 2013
