The
Fifty-ninth Annual
Conference on World Affairs
University of Colorado at Boulder
April 9 – 13, 2007
The University of Colorado’s Conference on World Affairs was founded in
1948, originally as a forum on international affairs. CWA expanded rapidly to
become a conference on Everything Conceivable—encompassing music, literature,
environment, science, journalism, visual arts, diplomacy, technology, spirituality,
the film industry, politics, business, medicine, human rights and so on.
Every year in April approximately 100 participants representing a wide range
of backgrounds gather in Boulder—a beautiful college town at the foot of
the Rocky Mountains—for what the New York Times calls “a week-long
extravaganza of discussion and debate” on over 200 non-academic, cross-disciplinary
panels, plenary sessions and performances.
The Conference challenges its participants to discuss a wide-range of issues
on an impromptu basis—offering a refreshing alternative to the specialized
gatherings of academia and the business world. According to columnist Molly Ivins,
CWA panels offer “astonishing, cross-disciplinary insights, whole new ways
of looking at old questions, and information that can transform the way you look
at things.”
Film critic Roger Ebert, who is this year marking his thirty-eighth consecutive
appearance at CWA, says, “Why is this week like lifeblood for me? Once
we settle into our life’s careers, most of us charge the line with our
heads down, doing our jobs and trying to get ahead. We become specialists, and
develop tunnel vision. I have a tendency, for example, to think the world revolves
around movies. Once a year at the Conference, I am forced to think on subjects
not of my own choosing. I get to talk to people from other worlds.”
The Conference owes its existence to a vast network of volunteers. Although many
of our panelists and performers ordinarily command large speaking fees, CWA participants
come at their own expense, finding reward in a diverse group of people from around
the globe. Boulder community members, University faculty, staff and students
work together to plan and host the week’s public sessions, as well as the
participants’ meals and social events. Student volunteers provide local
transportation to the participants, greeting them at Denver International Airport
when they arrive. Community members graciously open their homes to house the
participants during the week.
All events are free and open to the public and are attended by students, faculty,
staff, alumni, townsfolk, journalists and visitors from around the nation. Audiences
range in size from an intimate 50 to well over 2,000 at individual sessions,
with a combined total of approximately 55,000 during the course of the week.
This year Alicia Fall will be joining this distinguish group of participants,
performing with Spooky Actions, a New York based jazz and new-music ensemble
whose diverse recordings include the music of 20th century composer Anton Webern,
interpretations of Native American music, and most recently, early music from
the 2nd century BC through the 1500's. Their unique and compelling sound is being
met with critical acclaim and widespread interest.
Alicia will also be joining John Gunther, one of the founders of Spooky Actions,
to present a lecture in world music:Interpreting Native American Music.
We hope to see you there.
April 11, 2007
Old Main on the CU campus, Boulder
12pm lecture as part of the Conference on World Affairs
[physics and music]
1pm performance with Spooky Actions featuring Alicia Fall
[Early Music and "Songs of the Nations"]
April 12, 2007
Dazzle
Spooky Actions featuring Alicia Fall
[Early Music and "Songs of the Nations"]
7pm and 9pm
April 13, 2007
Spooky Actions featuring Alicia Fall
[Early Music and "Songs
of the Nations"]
ATLAS building, Black Box theatre, CU campus, Boulder
Live performance/video. TBA
Past participants include:
Patch Adams, Margot Adler, Steve Allen, Oscar Arias, Lillian Boutté, Andrei
Codrescu , Norman Cousins, Malcolm Bradbury
Bernardine Dohrn, Betty Dodson, Roger Ebert, Michael Franc, R. Buckminster
Fuller, Dave Grusin, Don Grusin, Jeremy Harris
Jim Hightower, Simon Hoggart, Jean Houston, Arianna Huffington, Molly
Ivins , Robert Kaplan, Kenneth Kaunda, Henry Kissinger
Rita Klimova, Charles Krauthammer, Nicholas Lemann, Johnny Mandel, B.
P. McCoy, George McGovern, Terry McNally, Arthur Miller
Steve Miller , Ralph Nader, Andrew Neil, Howard Nemerov, Huey Newton,
Yitzhak Rabin, Richard Rodriguez, Eleanor Roosevelt
Paolo Soleri, I. F. Stone, Studs Terkel, Ted Turner, Dennis Wilson, Tim
Wirth, Jim Woolsey, Robert Wright
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