Lawrence University Forum Examines Post-Communist Europe as Primer to Walesa Convocation

APPLETON, WIS. -- As a preview to Lech Walesa's convocation, six members of the Lawrence University community will share their perspectives in the forum "Eastern and Central Europe After the Fall of Communism." The panel discussion will be held Monday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. in the auditorium of the Wriston Art Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Participating in the program will be:

• Charles Ahlgren, the Stephen Edward Scarff Visiting Memorial Professor, who will address global issues in the post-Communist era. Ahlgren, who spending part of the academic year as a faculty member in Lawrence's government department, is a former senior foreign service officer. He spent 30 years as a diplomat and educator in the U.S. State Department.
• Mojmir Povolny, professor emeritus of government, who will examine issues facing the Czech Republic and other countries in Eastern Europe. Povolny, who spent 30 years on the Lawrence faculty before retiring in 1987, was the executive secretary of the Benes Party in Prague at the time of the Communist take over in 1949. He spent more than 40 years in exile working in the anti-communist movement. In 1995, Povolny's dedication to human rights and democracy was recognized with the Masaryk Order, the highest civilian honor given by the Czech Republic.
• Peter Blitstein, assistant professor of history, who will provide historical background on Poland, with special emphasis on the social and political landscape before and after the rise of Lech Walesa.
• Students Olga Makarova, Dmitry Naidan and Natalia Parkhachuk, who are attending Lawrence on the Freedom Support Act, will share information and perspective on their home countries of Russia, Ukraine and Belorussia, respectively.

Walesa, who won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize and became the first democratically elected president of Poland in 1990, will deliver the address, "Democracy: The Never Ending Battle," Thursday, Oct. 25 at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.