MEDIA CONTACT: Wendy Leopold at 847-491-4890 or w-leopold@northwestern.edu

April 26, 2005

Can the United Nations Make the World a Safer Place?

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Can the United Nations make the world a safer place? Can the U.N. modernize to better meet 21st century security needs? Can Kofi Annan unite member states under his recommendations? What is the U.S. role in determining whether U.N. reforms take place?

These are questions that Gareth Evans, president and chief executive officer of International Crisis Group, and Richard Williamson, former senior member of the U.S. mission to the U.N., will try to answer Wednesday, April 27, at Northwestern University. (Note: Evans and Williamson are available until 5 p.m. April 27 to talk with reporters).

Their free and public presentation, sponsored by Northwestern University’s Center for International and Comparative Studies, will take place at 7 p.m. at the McCormick Tribune Center Forum, 1870 Campus Drive, on the University’s Evanston campus. A reception will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Evans, who served as Australia’s foreign minister from 1988 to 1996, became International Crisis Group (ICG) president and CEO in 2000. An independent and multi-national non-government organization based in Brussels, ICG works to prevent and resolve deadly conflict though field-based analysis and high-level policy advocacy. Evans is on a Midwest tour for a series of “town hall” meetings designed to raise awareness of foreign policy.

Williamson practices law in Chicago. He was ambassador and U.S. representative to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in 2004, and served as assistant secretary of state for international organizations under President Reagan. He has held a variety of governmental and private sector posts. He was chairman of the Illinois Republican Party from 1999 to 2001.

For further information about the presentation titled “Can the U.N. Make the World A Safer Place?” call (847) 491-4750 or visit the Center for International and Comparative Studies Web site at <www.northwestern.edu/cics>.