Title: Madeleine Albright Delivers Lecture for Berkley Center’s 10th Anniversary

– Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright kicked off the 10th anniversary of Georgetown’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs yesterday with a lecture on the role of religion in international relations.

Albright, the Michael and Virginia Mortara Distinguished Professor of Diplomacy at Georgetown, addressed the role of religion as a source of conflict as well as a resource for cooperation and reconciliation.

She also drew on her extensive experience as a leading diplomat and scholar and revisited the core themes of her book,The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs (Harper, 2006).

“Issues of religion and world affairs are as salient today as in 2006 when the center was founded,” said Thomas Banchoff, vice president for global engagement and founding director of the Berkley Center. “The 10th anniversary of the Berkley Center is an occasion to discuss these issues, to celebrate a record of accomplishment, and to reflect on the work ahead.”

The anniversary celebration continued today as Georgetown President John J. DeGioia and best-selling author and leading Abrahamic religions expert Karen Armstrong talked about her work and what universities can do to foster interreligious dialogue and combat religion-based violence.

The discussion was a part of a daylong symposium, “Rethinking Religion and World Affairs,” with scholars and thought leaders exploring key themes to its work over the last decade.