Clinton will accept an award along with an African human rights organization.
Former President Bill Clinton will speak at the University of Connecticut Thursday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, and will receive a human rights award.
During the 5:30 pm ceremony at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts at UConn's Storrs campus, Clinton will accept the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights along with Tostan, an African human rights organization which works to create sustainable development and positive social transformation in Africa.
In a letter to students, faculty, and staff last month, UConn President Susan Herbst encouraged them to understand their diverse backgrounds and each other for a stronger university in the long term.
From the letter:
The Dodd Prize is about human rights and social justice. In that same vein, important conversations continued to take place throughout the nation this summer, especially on the issue of race. It is my hope that similar conversations will take place on our campuses; there is no better place for people to discuss the critical issues that face our society than a university, where we are free to argue, agree or disagree, and to challenge one another.
It will be exactly 20 years ago this Thursday when Clinton joined former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd, former Governor John Rowland, and former UConn President Harry Hartley in dedicating the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center in 1995.
During his visit in Connecticut, Clinton will also headline a fundraiser for his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as she pursues the Democratic nomination for president. The fundraiser will be held Wednesday evening at Attorney General George Jepsen's West Hartford home.
Hillary Clinton takes on four other presidential contenders Tuesday evening in the first Democratic debate: Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders; former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley; former Virginia U.S. Senator Jim Webb; and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee.
Leyda Quast is an intern at WNPR.
