Admiral Mullen to Speak at Inaugural Event of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Lee Hamilton Lecture Series

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is pleased to announce the inaugural lecture of the Lee Hamilton Lecture Series on Civil Discourse and Democracy will take place on Wednesday, May 25 from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Wilson Center's 6th floor Flom Auditorium. The featured speaker will be Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mullen is the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. Armed Forces and the President's principal military adviser. He presides over all meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs, advising the secretary of defense, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council. Prior to this post, Adm. Mullen served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations, the Navy's top uniformed leader and representative to the Joint Chiefs. Since taking office as chairman in October 2007, he has focused his efforts on three main priorities: 1. defending national interests in the Middle East; 2. revitalizing the Armed Forces; 3. balancing global risk. He was an early advocate for greater focus on operations in Afghanistan and now considers that war the U.S. military's "main effort."

"Woodrow Wilson described his time a century ago as 'bewildered, afraid of its own forces, in search not merely of its road but even of its direction.' Admiral Mike Mullen has chaired the Joint Chiefs at a similar time," said Jane Harman, director, president, and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson Center. "He has helped to shape events in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen, and has worked tirelessly to protect military personnel and their families. No one is a better choice to launch this lecture series."

The Lee Hamilton Lecture Series was established in honor of Lee H. Hamilton, who served as the Woodrow Wilson Center's President and Director from 1998 to 2010. During his 12 years of service following his career in Congress, Lee Hamilton became familiar to scholars, leaders, and policymakers around the globe. He championed the most pressing issues relevant to forward-thinking world citizens and to those who grapple with those same issues, firsthand, in their daily lives. Under his direction, the Center has become universally respected as one of the world's preeminent nonpartisan, public policy organizations. The aim of The Hamilton Lecture Series is to improve continually the quality of public policy debate on major challenges facing the United States and the world.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the national, living memorial honoring President Woodrow Wilson.  In providing an essential link between the worlds of ideas and public policy, the Center addresses current and emerging challenges confronting the United States and the world.  The Center promotes policy-relevant research and dialogue to increase understanding and enhance the capabilities and knowledge of leaders, citizens, and institutions worldwide. Created by an Act of Congress in 1968, the Center is a nonpartisan institution headquartered in Washington, D.C., and supported by both public and private funds.

Contact: Drew Sample, public affairs assistant
Phone: (202) 691-4379
[email protected]

SOURCE Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars