BRIDGES - Kennedy Center - Brigham Young University

30
The Vision Continues
continued from page 29
Lectures:
His Excellency Stasys Sakalauskas,
Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S.
Senator Orrin G. Hatch
His Excellency Li Zhaoxing, Chinese
Ambassador to the U.S.
His Excellency Hong Koo Lee, Korean
Ambassador to the U.S.
LDS Professionals Focus on
National Security
For the first time in a decade,
Latter-day Saint national security
experts met to explore the issues facing
Church members in fields such
as diplomacy, the military, intelligence
communities, and government.
The conference, entitled
“Wielding the Sword
While Proclaiming Peace:
Reconciling the Demands of
National Security with the
Imperatives of Revealed Truths
in the Dispensation of the
Fulness of Times,” was held in
Washington, D.C., 16–17 May.
Attended by nearly one
hundred professionals and
scholars, panelists and speakers
included Michael K. Young, George
Washington University Law School
dean and member of the President’s
Panel on Religious Liberty, and Fred
Axelrod, international operations
director for General Dynamics. The
focus was on what role the gospel
can and should play in the
political sphere—specifically in
the world of national security.
Valerie M. Hudson, professor
of political science at BYU,
and Kerry M. Kartchner, senior
advisor for missile defense policy
in the Bureau of Arms
Control with the U.S.
Department of State, organized
the conference. Hudson
claimed the conference topic
was relevant to all Latter-day Saints.
“One of the issues we’re facing is
this disconnect between who we are
on Sunday and what we do all week,
particularly in national security,”
said Hudson.
She and Kartchner hope that in
the future the conference can be
held every two years,
contingent on funding.
Hudson noted, “This
conference was funded
from sales of the previous
volume of conference
proceedings.”
In addition, the two
hope that more people
will see the relevance
and importance of this
type of conference and
choose to get involved,
including professionals, students,
and national security experts from
other countries. “As Latter-day
Saints with access to modern scripture
and divine revelation, and as
professionals charged with providing
for the nation's security, we
should consider more
carefully the intersection
of our faith and
our profession and promote
and advocate
policies that reflect our
gospel convictions,”
suggested Kartchner.
“For Valerie and me,
the main theme has
been that there need be
no disconnect between
what we profess on
Valerie M. Hudson
Kerry M. Kartchner
His Excellency Raymond A. J.
Chrétien, Canadian Ambassador
to the U.S.
His Excellency James Bolger, New
Zealand Ambassador to the U.S.
His Excellency Anton Buteiko,
Ukranian Ambassador to the U.S.
Seminar:
“Korea in the New Millennium”
Conference:
“Africa, Latin America”
2000
Sunday, and what we practice during
the week, even in the field of
national security policy.”
No matter how diverse the attendees
are politically and socially, they
all shared a commonality that makes
this conference unique. Hudson concluded,
“Latter-day Saint men and
women who disagreed about U.S.
policy, sometimes quite vehemently,
could still come together as brothers
and sisters in the gospel, appreciating
and learning from each other.”
The conference was sponsored by the
Kennedy Center, BYU’s Washington
Seminar, and the International Society.
An e-mail distribution list for attendees
and other interested parties is being
compiled. For more information, contact
devin_christensen@byu.edu.
Government Grants
Increase European
Scholarship
In 2003, BYU received major federal
funding to increase European
research and education. The U.S.
Department of Education’s Title VI
funding totals over $1.2 million and
will be distributed over three years.
Ed McDermott, Department of Education
program officer for the grant,
noted that panel reviewers were
impressed with BYU’s existing programs.
In addition, he commented,
“the proposed activities made BYU
an excellent program to recommend
for funding.”
Rod Boynton appointed Kennedy Center
associate director
First Bridges print magazine published
Spencer J. Palmer died in November
Paul Hyer replaced Ray C. Hillam as
International Society executive director
Elder James O. Mason receives International
Distinguished Service Award
BYU tops list of most students who study abroad