MEDIA ADVISORY
With the United States’ military involvement in Iraq playing a key role
in the hotly contested presidential race between George W. Bush and
John Kerry, Pierre Gassmann’s insight could prove invaluable to voters
trying to sort through the rhetoric. Gassmann, who until July served as
head of the Baghdad delegation of the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), will discuss "Humanitarianism and the Global War on
Terror: Does Neutrality Still Make Sense?" on Oct. 12 at Vanderbilt. In
October of 2003, Gassmann survived a bombing at the International Red
Cross headquarters in Baghdad in which 12 people were killed. Amidst
such threats of physical violence, Gassmann and members of the ICRC are
committed to remaining neutral to the conflict as they provide
humanitarian emergency assistance to the people of Iraq. Gassmann’s
lecture begins at 7 p.m. in Ingram Hall on the Vanderbilt campus. The
event is free for Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff and $5 for the
general public. Members of the public may purchase tickets at the
Sarratt Student Center box office or through TicketMaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) or over the phone (255-9600).
WHAT: Pierre Gassmann, former head of the Baghdad
delegation of the ICRC, speaks about humanitarianism and the global war
on terror
WHERE: Ingram Hall at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music (corner of Blakemore Avenue and 25th Avenue South)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12
Media contact: Kara Furlong, (615) 322-NEWS
kara.c.furlong@vanderbilt.edu