PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — French Ambassador Pierre Vimont will deliver a Stephen A. Ogden Jr. ’60 Memorial Lecture on Monday, April 26, 2010, at 2 p.m. in the Watson Institute for International Studies, Joukowsky Forum, 111 Thayer St. His talk, titled “The Transatlantic Partnership in a New Global World,” is free and open to the public.

Vimont was appointed ambassador of France to the United States by President Nicolas Sarkozy on Aug. 1, 2007.

He has held several prominent posts including ambassador and permanent representative of France to the European Union. At the time of his appointment, Vimont was chief of staff to the minister of foreign affairs.

A career diplomat, Vimont joined the Foreign Service in 1977. He has served as part of the permanent representation of France to the European Communities in Brussels (1986-1990), and was subsequently chief of staff to the minister delegate for European affairs (1990 to 1993). He has served as director of European Cooperation (1997 to 1999).

Stephen A. Ogden Jr. ’60 Memorial Lecture

Since 1965, the Ogden Lectureship has presented the University and its neighboring communities with authoritative and timely addresses about international affairs. The lectureship was established in memory of Stephen A. Ogden Jr., a member of the Brown Class of 1960, who died in 1963 from injuries he suffered in a car accident during his junior year. His family created the series as a tribute to Ogden’s interest in advancing international peace and understanding.

Dozens of heads of state, diplomats, and observers of the international scene have participated in the series, including Queen Noor of Jordan, former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, media innovator Ted Turner, astronaut Sen. John Glenn, economist Paul Volcker, Bolivian President Evo Morales, and Romano Prodi, former prime minister of Italy.