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Henry J. Leir Lecture Series at Clark University

The Leir Luxembourg Program-Clark University inaugurated a lecture series in honor of Dr. h. c. Henry J. Leir, which invites prominent Luxembourg citizens and scholars to give lectures on themes related to Luxembourg and/or European affairs.

Henry J. Leir Lecture 2008 - 2009

The Henry J. Leir Lecture 2008/09 was delivered by Professor Dr. Michel Polfer, Director of the Musée National d’Histoire et d’Art in Luxembourg and Associate Professor at The University of Luxembourg. This was also the opening lecture of The Archeological Institute of America-Worcester Society for its 2008-2009 lecture series.

TITLE: Homer and the Muses in Roman Luxembourg: the Vichten Mosaic

TIME:   Friday, 12 September 2008 at 6:30 pm

LOCATION :  Worcester Art Museum

There was an informal reception with cash bar immediately after the lecture, held among the famous Antioch mosaics on the ground floor of the Worcester Art Museum; admission to these galleries during the reception was free, courtesy of the Worcester Art Museum.

This talk was co-sponsored by the Henry J. Leir Luxembourg Program-Clark University (LLP-CU), the Worcester Art Museum (WAM), and the Archeological Institute of America (AIA) -Worcester Society (the local chapter of the Archeological Institute of America).

DESCRIPTION: Accidentally unearthed by a farmer in 1995, the exquisite 3rd century AD Vichten Mosaic is a large mosaic of great importance from Northern Gaul. It originally covered the floor of the central reception room in one of the most remarkable Roman villas ever discovered in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Exceptionally well preserved, it shows in very detailed iconography the nine Muses, the goddesses protecting the arts, in the company of Homer, the prince of poets.

Taking this spectacular discovery as a starting point, Professor Michel Polfer, Director of the Musée National d’Histoire et d’Art in Luxembourg and Associated Professor at the University of Luxembourg, presented the major results of ongoing archaeological excavation and research. The focus of the illustrated talk was on Romanization: the process of gradual and progressive integration of local populations into all the aspects of the Roman Empire. Professor Polfer took the audience back into the three centuries following the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar (c. 50 BCE) and its administrative reorganization under Augustus.

Previous Lectures

Henry J. Leir Speaker 2007 - 2008

The Henry J. Leir Speaker 2007 - 2008 was Mr. Jean-Pierre Schoder, the head of the Economic and Research Department and European Coordinator at the Banque Centrale du Luxembourg. Mr. Schoder's talk was entitled "The Eurozone (and Luxembourg): Present Achievements and Challenges Ahead." See announcement for further information.

• November 2004: Lucien Hoffmann, Professor at the Centre de Recherche Public-Gabriel Lippmann.  Professor Hoffmann delivered the Henry J. Leir Lecture entitled "Climatic Change in Luxembourg: Impact on Biodiversity and Land Management." Watch video of Prof. Hoffmann's lecture at Clark.
  

• October 2004: LLP-CU welcomed Cédric Crelo, formerly Personal Secretary to the Governor of the Central Bank Luxembourg and now Luxembourg's Representative to the IMF, Washington DC.  Mr. Crelo spoke with graduate and undergraduate students in the Economics Department and delivered the Henry J. Leir Lecture entitled "IMF Insights."
  
  Please note: Mr. Crelo's presentation "IMF Insights" is available to view as a pdf.*  When the document opens, click on the Rotate Clockwise button in the upper right-hand corner or go to "View - Rotate View - Clockwise."  
  *The opinions expressed in these slides belong to Mr. Crelo and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the IMF.

• October 2004: "A Prisoner and his Consul: The Chinese State Secrets Trial of Harry Wu".   This was an event featuring Daniel Piccuta, Deputy Chief of Mission with the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg and Harry Wu, Human Rights Activist, sponsored by the Leir Luxembourg Program, the Higgins School of the Humanities, and the Asian Studies Department. Listen to Harry Wu on NPR's The Connection. Watch video of Wu and Piccuta at Clark.

Prior to 2004:

• Norbert von Kunitzki, then President of the Centre Universitaire in Luxembourg, gave the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "The Economic and Political Significance of the Euro."

• Professor Jean-Paul Lehners, social historian and Dean at The Université du Luxembourg, delivered the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "The Saar-Lor-Lux Region."

• Professor Pierre Seck, who previously served as President of the Centre Universitaire, delivered the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "Mad Cow Disease: It's Biological, Political, Psychological, and Economic Implications."

• Professor Wolfgang Kühlwein of the Centre Universitaire and the University of Trier delivered the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "When the Anglo-Saxons Met the Celts: A Rhetorical and Art Historical Case Study."

• Mr. Maxwell Harway, formerly with the U.S. State Department, presented, "Reflections on the Departing Century."

• Dr. Charles-Marie Ternes, Professor of Classics, Centre Universitaire de Luxembourg gave the lecture, "The Mosaic Art of Roman France."

• Dr. André Michels, psychoanalyst in Luxembourg and co-editor of Apertura, a journal devoted to psychoanalysis and related areas, gave the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "Psychoanalysis and Politics."

• Dr. Mario Hirsch of the Centre Universitaire gave the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "Influence Without Power: Small States and European Integration."

• Professor Alain Meyer delivered the Henry J. Leir Lecture, "Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Luxembourg."  Professor Meyer teaches French Language and Literature at the Athènèe de Luxembourg. 
  

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