Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Inspires Students to Protect the Environment

November 2, 2006

ELLENSBURG,Often referred to as one of biggest defenders of our environment, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., comes to Central Washington University to deliver his message, titled "Our Environmental Destiny," as part of this year's Performing Arts and Presidential Speaker Series.

The event promises to inspire audiences to get involved in what's going on around them and make a difference in their world as Kennedy reflects on times spent with his father on the Hudson River, recalls Native American Folklore and invokes pride in America's physical landscape.

The chief prosecuting attorney for Riverkeeper, an advocacy group that monitors the Hudson River ecosystem, Kennedy has prosecuted governments and companies for polluting the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. Throughout his career he has worked on environmental issues across the Americas and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties to protect traditional homelands.

Time magazine named Kennedy one of the "Heroes for the Planet" in 1999 for his work with Riverkeeper. The group's achievements have helped spawn more than 125 similar organizations across the globe.

This past May, Kennedy was featured alongside environmental crusaders Al Gore, Julia Roberts and George Clooney on the cover of Vanity Fair's first ever "Green Issue."

Kennedy will speak at 7:30 p.m. in Central's McConnell Auditorium. CWU students who show their ID will receive a free ticket to the event. General admission tickets are $15 and reserved seats are $25.

The next Performing Arts and Presidential Speaker Series event will be the Holiday Showcase in Music and Dance December 10. Other presentations and performances include Jean-Michel Cousteau, Michael Ott, Ailey II, Bobby McFerrin and a world premiere of Scott Warrender's "Blankity-Blank" by Central Theatre Ensemble in addition to a variety of performances by university musicians and dancers.

More information is available at www.cwu.edu/president/series/ and tickets for the entire series are on sale now at the Student Union box office.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call 509-963-1301 or (for the hearing impaired) TDD 509-963-2143.