Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, will be the keynote speaker for the Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society’s (FOCIS) 10th anniversary lecture series "What in the World is Going On?" kickoff event at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18. He will discuss “Immigration: The Wall, Trade, Jobs and Deportation,” followed by a question-and-answer period.
The speech and Q&A session are open to the public. Admission is free but reservations are required. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the program will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Fox grew up in Guanajuato, Mexico, and still recalls from his childhood that one of the greatest harms a nation can avoid is poverty. He studied business administration at the Universidad Iberoamericana and received a top management diploma from the Harvard Business School. In 1964, he joined the Coca-Cola Company in Mexico, eventually becoming president of the company for Mexico and Latin America. Fox was elected president of Mexico in 2000, serving through 2006. He now encourages leadership and creates opportunities for less-fortunate people through his organization, Centro Fox.
Fox has been critical of what he feels is an overly restrictive U.S. immigration policy, and has maintained his opposition to U.S intervention in Iraq. He points to the fact that the United States was founded as an open society that welcomed immigrants who helped build the country.
In 2008, more than 1,000 people packed Wayne State’s Community Arts Auditorium and McGregor Memorial Conference Center to hear Fox discuss issues in globalization and immigration. Fox was the third guest speaker — and the first former head of state — in the university’s acclaimed FOCIS lecture series.
“We are privileged to have former Mexico President Vicente Fox as our special keynote speaker,” said Irvin D. Reid, director of FOCIS and inaugural holder of Wayne State’s Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement. “During our 10th year, as we recognize and celebrate a decade of providing insightful programming for the community through FOCIS, it is fitting that Fox will grace the lectern once again, offering an intellectual and thought provoking talk on such a relevant topic.”
The lecture will be held at Wayne State’s Community Arts Auditorium, 450 Reuther Mall, Detroit, MI 48202.
For more information about this event, please contact FOCIS at 313-577-5550, or plwilliam@wayne.edu. To RSVP, visit the FOCIS registration site.
Information about other planned FOCIS 10th anniversary events for 2017 and 2018 will be available soon.
About FOCIS
Established in 2007, FOCIS is a special initiative that focuses Wayne State University's problem-solving resources on an eclectic range of topics important to the campus community and beyond. FOCIS lectures and related events bring together the institution's teaching, research and service missions to advance the frontiers of knowledge, promote informed debate and encourage responsible citizenship in an increasingly fast-paced, interconnected and complex global society. FOCIS presents coordinated public programs, foreign-study projects, research opportunities and ongoing community dialogues addressing specific issues that confront the citizens of Detroit, the United States and the world.
About the Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement
The Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement was created through the generosity of alumnus Eugene Applebaum, founding chair of the Wayne State University Foundation. The Applebaum Chair is a catalyst for cooperation among the university and community organizations on issues in business and economic development, education, health, international outreach, politics and other areas. FOCIS is the Applebaum Chair's primary public platform.