Contact:	Suzanne Trimel					For immediate release
		(212) 854-6579					March 18, 1998
		smt4@columbia.edu


Workshop at Columbia University April 1 Will Explore New Opportunities for U.S.-Iran Exchange Programs

Practical Informatio onWorking In and With Iran
Following Iranian President Mohammed Khatami's call for increased exchanges of scholars, writers, artists and journalists between the United States and Iran, Columbia University will host a daylong workshop Wednesday, April 1 to give individuals and organizations practical information on setting up exchanges between the two countries. The workshop, "Working In -- and with -- Iran: The State of the Art" is sponsored by Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs and has been organized by Gary Sick, who served on the National Security Council under Presidents Ford, Carter and Reagan and was the principal White House aide for Iran during the Iranian Revolution and the hostage crisis. At Columbia, Dr. Sick is senior research scholar, adjunct professor of international affairs and executive director of Gulf/2000, an international research project on political, economic and security developments in the Persian Gulf. He has written two books about U.S.-Iranian relations. Representatives of the U.S. State Department and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations will participate in the workshop with business leaders and academics who have recently traveled or worked in Iran. "We will focus on the variety of possibilities for exchanges with Iran and share information about how such exchanges can be conducted," Dr. Sick said. "There should be some very interesting discussion about Iran and the recent invitation by President Khatami to renew exchanges between our countries." After the Iranian revolution in 1979, most academic institutions, foundations and non-governmental organizations either terminated or greatly reduced their work with Iran, said Dr. Sick. "Interest in resuming such activities has been growing in recent years, particularly since January, when President Khatami called for 'the exchange of professors, writers, scholars, artists, journalists, and tourists' with the U.S," he said. Dr. Sick and Richard Bulliet, professor of history and director of the Middle East Institute at Columbia, will give welcoming remarks at 9:15 A.M. Among the participants will be Chris Stevens of the U.S. State Department, who will discuss U.S. policy on Iran; Seyed Kazem Sajjadpour of the Iranian Mission to the United Nations, who will speak on recent exchanges between the two countries; Ambassador Roscoe Suddarth, president of the Middle East Institute, Washington, D.C., on foreign policy issues between the nations; Stanley Weiss of Business Executives for National Security, on the business environment in Iran; Mahmood Sariolghalam of Tehran University, a visiting professor at Ohio State University, on research and teaching in Iran; Homayoun Kazemi, professor of medicine, Harvard University, and Jane Schaller, Karp Professor of Pediatrics, Tufts University, on medical issues and exchanges, and Ron Mathies, executive director, Mennonite Central Committee, on religious and humanitarian exchanges. WHAT: Workshop on Working in and With Iran WHEN: 8:30 A.M.-5 P.M.,Wednesday, April 1, 1998 WHERE: Kellogg Conference Center, 15th floor, International Affairs Building, 118th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, New York City This document is available at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/pr/. 3.18.98 19,297