Borders bridged, societies connected
Bangkok Post
19 January2015




Nobel laureates for peace and medicine are set to visit Bangkok next month as keynote speakers in the fifth in the "Bridges - Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace" Asean event series.
The aim of series, presented by the International Peace Foundation, is to facilitate and strengthen dialogue and communication between societies in Southeast Asia and the world.
The line-up of speakers for lectures in February is as follows:
Prof. Bruce Beutler, a 2011 Nobel Laureate for medicine and the director of the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, will speak on "The Global Struggle Against Infectious Disease". Having worked as an immunologist for the past 26 years. his discoveries have opened new avenues for the prevention and therapy of infections, cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Hosted by Naresuan University, the lecture will be held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center's Grand Ballroom, ratchadaphisek Road, on Feb 2 at 2pm. There is no admission fee.
Former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, will speak on "Global Equity and Security". ElBaradei was recognised for "his efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safes possible way". Throughout his career, ElBaradei prioritised the peaceful use of nuclear power and to strove to make radiation therapy available in less-developed countries for the treatment of diseases such as cancer and malaria.
The talk will be held at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, Phloenchit Road, on Feb 9 at 7pm.