Program held in memory of Durant native James Joe Ferguson
OXFORD, Miss. – The importance of geography education in an increasingly interconnected world is the topic of a public lecture Sept. 11 at the University of Mississippi to mark the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on America.
Author, professor and television personality Harm de Blij delivers the lecture at 4:30 p.m. at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics auditorium. The free, public program is sponsored by the Mississippi Geographic Alliance at UM and is held in memory of Durant native James Joe Ferguson, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
“In light of the extraordinary challenges we face in the contemporary world – increasing demands on our natural resources, increasing financial stresses and more – we believe now more than ever in the importance of educating students on a global prospective,” said David Rutherford MGA executive director and an assistant professor of geography in UM’s Department of Public Policy Leadership.
“As the eighth anniversary of Sept. 11 nears, we need to provide a broader understanding of globalization and how we should respond to the dynamics of bringing people with differing values into more rapid contact with each other.”
Mississippi Geographic Alliance is a volunteer network of teachers and geographers committed improving students’ geographic knowledge, understanding and application of geography in their daily lives.
De Blij specializes in geopolitical and environmental issues and has published more than 30 books, including scientific, educational and trade titles, and more than 100 articles. His most recent book, “Why Geography Matters” (Oxford University Press, 2005), argues that “America’s persistent geographic illiteracy constitutes a national security risk.” His textbook Geography: Realms, Regions and Concepts (Wiley) has exceeded 1 million copies in 12 editions since 1970.
Ferguson was director of Geographic Education Outreach at the National Geographic Society. The J. Joe Ferguson Geography Education Fund was established in his memory by the Phil Hardin Foundation and the National Geographic Society in order to advance Mississippi-focused educational initiatives and provide real-life environmental, cultural and global exploration opportunities for Mississippi students.
For more information on MGA or about the upcoming lecture, contact Carley Lovorn at 662-915-3776. For assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-1692.