Avila University celebrated the 53rd anniversary of the Truman Lecture Series by welcoming His Royal Highness, Prince Turki Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia to campus, where he spoke at Goppert Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. Prince Turki is chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies and a co-founder of the King Faisal Foundation. Prince Turki was appointed Director-General of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), Saudi Arabia’s main foreign intelligence service with the rank of Minister; and, he served as ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States from September 2005 until February 2007.
Prince Turki, is a Distinguished Professor at Georgetown University, his alma mater, and is Lamont Lecturer at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University. He will speak about his recent book, The Afghanistan File, and will also engage in a conversation about efforts for peace in the Middle East.
“We are honored to have Prince Turki to come to Avila for this lecture series,” said Jim Burkee, Ph.D, president, Avila University. “Opportunities like this, to engage with outside speakers at the highest level, are of such value – and I am thrilled that we can offer this to our students, as well as our faculty, staff and the local community. It’s another example of our commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, a founding value from our Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet; and, a part of Avila’s rich history.”
The Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecture Series began in 1971 when former President Harry S. Truman gave his stamp of approval for Avila University (then Avila College) to offer a lecture series in his name. Later that year, the first Truman lecture was delivered by David E. Bell, vice president of the Ford Foundation and Truman’s first administrative executive. The Truman Series speakers have been known to provide insight on connecting individuals and communities through peace and non-violence and encourage collaboration towards peaceful negotiations.
Prince Turki joins a distinguished list of previous Truman Series lecturers, including:
- Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum;
- authors William F. Buckley, Reyna Grande and the honorable Richard Gergel;
- Sr Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking and known for her tireless work to end the death penalty; and
- Louis Zamperini, the World War II prisoner of war and Olympic athlete who was the subject of the novel and film Unbroken.
Prince Turki spoke to students, faculty, staff and community members on topics around his book. He also serves as a member of the board of trustees of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies and has been co-chair of the C100 Group, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum, since 2003. From 1977 to 2001, Prince Turki served as director general of the General Intelligence Directorate, the Kingdom’s main foreign intelligence service. In 2002, he was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.