April 28, 2009

Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State to incorporate former Cranbrook Peace Lecture into its annual awards program

Lecture and awards reception set for May 14

The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University is helping perpetuate a longtime tradition of the former Cranbrook Peace Foundation (CPF) by incorporating the CPF's annual Peace Lecture and Award into the center's annual Community Peacemaker Awards program to be held May 14.

The peace lecture will be delivered by renowned economics professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University. He will speak on the global economic crisis. Five persons, including Sachs, will receive Peacemaker awards. They are Sen. Samuel "Buzz" Thomas of the Michigan Legislature, for his work on youth bullying legislation; John Van Camp, president of Southwest Solutions, a community service organization in southwest Detroit; Brenda Naomi Rosenberg, director of Children of Abraham, a program promoting reconciliation among Middle East youth; and Ronald Amen, community relations director with the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. Receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously will be Marjorie S. Katz, director emerita of the World Affairs Council of Detroit and former community mediator with the Oakland Mediation Center.

This year's program at Wayne State will have two parts. The lecture by Jeffrey Sachs will be at 3 p.m. in the WSU General Lectures Building, corner of Warren Avenue and Anthony Wayne Drive on campus. The Peacemaker Award presentation and reception is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Next Energy Building on Second Avenue and Burroughs Street in WSU's TechTown at the north edge of the university.

The 3 p.m. lecture is free and open to the public. Attendance at the 5:30 p.m. awards reception, including a strolling dinner, is by reservation only. Tickets are $35, with proceeds helping fund the work of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. For more information and reservations, contact the center at 313-577-3453.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 300 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students.