Petraeus will speak Friday in Schaumburg as part of Judson World Leaders Forum
After a yearlong hiatus due to the pandemic, Judson University's World Leaders Forum will return Friday, marking a decade of bringing prominent global thought leaders to the suburbs.
Former CIA director and retired four-star Gen. David Petraeus is the notable guest. He will talk about U.S. foreign policy and other topics at 7 p.m. at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 N. Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg.
"We're obviously very excited coming as far as we have come," said Judson President Gene Crume. "To have Gen. Petraeus join us, especially now, there is a great opportunity to have some real conversation with him about global issues as it relates to Afghanistan, China and Russia."
Petraeus is among the leading military leaders of the post-Sept. 11 era. His career has spanned overseeing U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Central Intelligence Agency under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
NBC 5 Chicago reporter Lisa Chavarria will emcee the event.
A host of world leaders have headlined the Elgin Christian university's signature forum since its inaugural speaker - Bush in 2011. Among them were former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev, former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Queen Noor of Jordan, a joint appearance by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, and former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy.
Over the years, the forum has branched out to add two separate speakers series with inspirational and entrepreneurial leaders. Nick Vujicic, a Serbian Australian evangelist born with no limbs, inaugurated the inspirational series in 2015, and Dallas Mavericks owner and billionaire Mark Cuban kicked off the "Conversations with Mark Vargas" business forum in 2019.
Crume will announce plans Friday for the rebranding of the inspirational series and launch of a new partnership.
"It's going to have a real strong expression from a cultural perspective," said Crume about a new focus on bringing in diverse speakers.
Proceeds from the forum have funded 45 Judson scholarships and supported its Road to Independent Living, Spiritual Formation and Employment program for students with intellectual disabilities. Judson will host a golf outing in June to support the RISE program, Crume said.
Next fall's World Leaders Forum headliner will be announced in January. Future events likely will have a virtual component stemming from the pandemic's impact.
"Everyone who does these type of in-person events is looking at how can we continue to create multiple platforms in which we are not solely dependent on the in-person experience," Crume said.