ND: Annan perfect fit for 2000 message
By MARIBEL MOREY
News Writer
When Notre Dame began its search for a commencement speaker for this year, the University wanted an individual who embodies Christianity's millennial theme of peace and the global family.
It found these qualities in United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
"He is the best to represent this theme,"said Louis Nanni, executive assistant to the University president. Dennis Brown, associate director of public relations agreed.
"Kofi Annan is a natural fit because he fits the international community,"he said.
Selecting a speaker is "an ongoing process because of the difficulty in scheduling people."
Discussion begins a year in advance and the invitation letter is sent out in the beginning of the academic year. Annan was the first person Notre Dame contacted to be this year's commencement speaker.
"The names of possible speakers and honorees are submitted from any number of sources," Brown said. "It is then the officers of the University who meet, consider the suggestions, and make the final determinations."
"After the letter is issued, we look for other points of contacts," said Nanni. The contacts may be trustees, faculty or members of the administration in Notre Dame. These people then try to convey Notre Dame's theme.
Since Annan receives letters from hundreds of universities and spends only 50 percent of his time at the U.N. headquarters in New York, each school needs to find "what would distinguish your university from any other one," said Nanni.
Nanni said Notre Dame's international emphasis distinguishes it from other universities and attracted Annan because the University parallels "the United Nation's theme and efforts of democratization in South America and other parts of the globe."
"Kofi Annan is the largest governing official in this world who brings peace and justice to the world community," said Nanni.
"If a world crisis would occur, then he would not be able to attend, but the chances of that are very slim," said Nanni. In that case, he would send a top delegate of his office to speak in the commencement ceremony.
Although Annan's visit will be a great honor, "one thing that we do not want to be is prideful. We hope that what we stand for and our ideals will resonate to great leaders in the world," said Nanni.
All News Stories for Thursday, February 3, 2000
