Secretary of State Powell to deliver address at Princeton in 2004

U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell has accepted an invitation to deliver an opening address during Princeton University's upcoming George F. Kennan Centennial Conference. While he is on campus, undergraduate students plan to present Secretary Powell with the inaugural Crystal Tiger Award for serving as an "agent of progress."

The University is planning the daylong conference for Friday, Feb. 20, 2004, in honor of Kennan's 100th birthday. Kennan, a member of Princeton's class of 1925, was a pre-eminent diplomat who crafted what for many years was the nation's most significant and defining foreign policy tenet. Kennan's strategy, known as "containment," became the cornerstone of American foreign policy toward the U.S.S.R during the Cold War.

"Secretary of State Powell's participation in this event is a fitting tribute to Ambassador Kennan's unparalleled career in U.S. foreign service," said Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman. "We are delighted that Secretary Powell has agreed to honor George Kennan and, indeed, all Princetonians who have served with distinction in the diplomatic corps."

More details are available in a news release.

Contact: Lauren Robinson-Brown (609) 258-3601