Columbia Univ welcomes Ahmadinejad
Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:09:33
Source: Agencies
Columbia University students say they are looking forward to hearing the speech to be delivered by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad next week.
The city has also mobilized security to protect President Ahmadinejad during his New York visit to attend the UN General Assembly meeting.
"He's a leader of a large nation and what he says is important,'' said Dmitry Zakharov, 25, a Columbia University graduate student.
Dr. Ahmadinejad, who is to arrive in New York on Sunday to address the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, is scheduled to speak at a Columbia question-and-answer forum on Monday.
Despite some protests, several Columbia University students said they supported his appearance at the university's World Leaders Forum, saying people needed to see the Iranian leader for what he was.
Columbia University President, Lee Bollinger, announced Mr. Ahmadinejad's upcoming appearance as part of "Columbia's long-standing tradition of serving as a major forum for robust debate.'' He said the Iranian president had agreed to answer questions on Israel and the Holocaust.
New York State Governor, Eliot Spitzer, said Ahmadinejad will be protected by the NYPD and state police and everyone else.
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