Outspoken former President of Mexico to speak Sept. 12

Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, will speak at Wayne State University Friday, Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m., in Community Arts Auditorium on the topic "Globalization and Immigration."

Vicente Fox

The program will be the kickoff for the second season of the university's popular Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS), an initiative to promote public discussion of important current-day issues and to focus the university's resources on meeting the challenges. The speech and a Q&A session to follow are open to the public. Admission is free but reservations are required.

Fox, formerly a successful business executive who has a degree in business administration from Ibero-American University in Mexico City, first entered politics in 1988. He became governor of his native Guanajuato state in 1995. Subsequently, he was elected president of Mexico and served from 2000-2006. As president, he sought to reduce corruption in government, improve relations with the United States, overhaul the law enforcement system and resolve causes of civil unrest in poorer areas of his country.

Fox's criticism of what he feels is an overly restrictive U.S. immigration policy, his opposition to U.S intervention in Iraq and his calls for a North American Union have stirred controversy in America. He points to the fact that the U.S. was founded as an open society that welcomed immigrants who helped build the country. "We must move from violence to diplomacy; we must move from unilateralism to multilateralism," he said in a recent PBS interview.

Irvin D. Reid, who recently stepped down as president of Wayne State and now holds the new Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement at the university, points out that Fox does not equivocate regarding his stand on controversial contemporary issues. "President Fox demonstrates the courage of his convictions," says Reid, who directs FOCIS. "He feels strongly about the need for certain changes in society and he publicly articulates his reasons, thereby stimulating healthy discussion and debate that is the essence of democracy."

Fox elaborates on his views and writes about his interaction with various world leaders in the 2007 book Revolution of Hope: The Life, Faith and Dreams of a Mexican President, co-written with political consultant Rob Allyn. The former president of Mexico says the main purpose of the book is to address the United States regarding his views.

A book-signing session will follow the formal program on Sept. 12. Visit www.focis.wayne.edu for more information about FOCIS and to register for the program featuring Vicente Fox.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 12 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.