Muslim televangelist, activist to speak at Baker Institute

Muslim televangelist, activist to speak at Baker Institute

BY FRANZ BROTZEN
Rice News staff

Muslim televangelist and social activist Amr Khaled will speak at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy April 23. He will discuss social issues in the Middle East. The lecture begins at 6 p.m.

AMR KHALED

Khaled is a pioneer in religious and socially conscious satellite broadcasting in the Arab and Muslim world, with viewership reaching the tens of millions. A leading advocate for moderation, he was chosen in 2007 by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential individuals in the world.

Khaled was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and began preaching in 1990, making it his full-time profession in 1998 when his lectures were broadcast over satellite television. He is currently the chairman of Right Start Foundation International, an organization committed to bridging cultural gaps and nurturing positive coexistence between minorities and host communities. Whether through his television programs or Right Start, Khaled emphasizes the importance of members of the younger generation, who he believes are most capable of bringing about change in today’s cultural conflicts.

The event is sponsored by the Kelly Day Endowment on the Status of Women and Human Rights in the Middle East. This endowment is named in honor of Kelly Day of Los Angeles and her commitment to women’s and human rights issues. The lecture will be held in James A. Baker III Hall’s Doré Commons.

Rice faculty, staff and students who want to attend must RSVP by e-mail (bipprsvp@rice.edu) or by fax (713-348-5993).