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April 13, 2009
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
Maryna Storrs
(801) 863-8897
Note: This event has been POSTPONED. We appologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Andrei Dapkiunas, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations, will lecture at Utah Valley University Monday, April 20, at 10 a.m. in Liberal Arts Building (LA) Room 119.
"This visit from Ambassador Dapkiunas presents a rich opportunity for students and faculty at UVU to interact with a person deeply involved in the challenges we face on the international stage," said Merrill Ridd, a history and political science lecturer at UVU.
Prior to his current position, he served as the Director of the Americas Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997-2004), was the Head of the Office for the United States and Canada (1995-1997), and Assistant to the Minister (1994-1995).
Dapkiunas earned a doctorate in political science from Belarusian State University as well as a diploma in higher education in languages (English and French) from Minsk State Institute for Foreign Languages. In addition to Belarusian, he speaks English, French, Polish and Russian.
"From his role as Ambassador to the United Nations as well as the transition of his own country - Belarus emerging from the former Soviet Union - Dr. Dapkiunas provides significant insights into issues of great importance to the UVU community," Ridd said.
Additionally, Dapkiunas was the Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations (1992-1994), and Second Secretary of the Chernobyl International Cooperation Department in Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1992). He also served as a lecturer in the Interpretation Department of the Minsk State Institute for Foreign Languages (1985-1988).
Currently he is a member of the Board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Head of the Recruitment and Postings Commission of Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a member of the Personnel Assessment Commission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The lecture is free and open to UVU students, faculty and the public.
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University Marketing Contact:
Erin Spurgeon
(801) 863-6807