Hosted by AGBU Asbeds: Ambassador Edward Djerejian to Address the Current Crisis in the Middle East

LOS ANGELES — The Armenian General Benevolent Union Asbeds each year hosts a much anticipated event entitled “Evening with a Scholar”, inviting renowned figures to address socially and politically relevant issues.
This year’s event has already generated great interest as the Asbeds have invited distinguished U.S. diplomat and former Ambassador to Syria and to Israel, The Honorable Edward Djerejian, to address an issue that has captivated the attention of the world and is of special significance to the Armenian people. The honorable guest will lecture on the current crisis in the Middle East, its implications and potential solutions in a talk entitled, “The Arab Awakening, the Turkish Role in the Region and the Future of Armenians in the Middle East”.
The event will be held on Friday, October 5, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. at the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center(2495 East Mountain Street Pasadena, CA 91104).
The AGBU Asbeds are privileged to host such a high-profile figure as Ambassador Djerejian who, with his vast diplomatic knowledge and expertise, has contributed significantly to the pursuit of peace and human rights in the Middle East, all the while having in consideration our national interestsin the region. With this special annual event, the AGBU Asbeds aims to enrich the Armenian community by hosting such influential individuals who with their words and actions have fought for and continue to fight to make the world a better place, beginning with human rights for all.
Ambassador Edward Djerejian has had an extensive and highly impressive diplomatic career spanning eight U.S. administrations from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton (1962-1994). Prior to being appointed Ambassador to Israel by President Bill Clinton (1993-1994), he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton (1991-1993). From 1989-1991 Djerejian served as Ambassador to Syria, and from 1986-1988 was Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and Deputy Press Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Upon his retirement from diplomatic duties, Ambassador Djerejian became Founding Director of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University (1994 – present). In 2011 he was named to the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Corporation in New York, whose illustrious president is Vartan Gregorian
Through his work at the Baker Institute, which has established itself as one of the leading nonpartisan public policy think tanks in the country, Ambassador Djerejian has met with prominent world leaders and former U.S. presidents, among them Nelson Mandela, Vladimir Putin, Helmut Kohl, Kofi Annan, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.
He is the author of the book Danger and Opportunity: An American Ambassador’s Journey through the Middle East (Simon & Schuster, Threshold Editions, September 2008, Paperback edition 2009).
Ambassador Djerejian has been awarded the Presidential Distinguished Service Award, the Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award, the President’s Meritorious Service Award, the Anti-Defamation League’s Moral Statesman Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Association of Rice Alumni 2009 Gold Medal – the highest honor bestowed by the ARA in recognition of extraordinary service to the university. In 2011, he was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies and independent policy research centers.
Ambassador Djerejian has played a key role in the Arab-Israeli peace process and regional conflict resolution, and remains a leading expert on Middle East affairs.
The AGBU Asbeds invites you all to the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena on Friday, October 5, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. to personally hear what is expected to be an extraordinarily enlightening lecture at a period in time when the future of the Arab world and our national concerns collide in a state of uncertainty. As a leading authority in the affairs of the Middle East, Ambassador Djerejian is quite possibly one of a select few individuals who can most accurately address the current situation in the Middle East and provide clarification and explanations on this intricate subject. Please join the AGBU Asbeds on October 5 at what will no doubt be yet another successful “Evening with a Scholar”.