Former hostage and author Terry Waite to speak at press conference at Fairfield University | Press Releases

Media Advisory

What: Fairfield University will host a press conference with humanitarian and author Terry Waite, a former hostage negotiator who was once held hostage for nearly five years himself. The press conference will precede a 7:30 p.m. lecture sponsored by Fairfield University's Open VISIONS Forum.

When: Monday, April 14, at 6:45 p.m.

Where: Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts

Contact: Reporters interested in attending the press conference or the lecture should contact Dana Ambrosini, assistant director of media relations at Fairfield University, at 203-254-4000, ext. 2726, or 203-209-9849.

With a keen interest in humanitarian concerns, international relations and conflict resolution, Mr. Waite drew international attention in the 1980s by successfully negotiating the release of hostages in Iran and Libya. His life took a fateful turn in 1987, when, while negotiating for the release of Western hostages in Beirut, he was taken into custody. He spent five years in captivity, four of which were spent in solitary confinement. In the years that followed his ordeal, Waite has written three books, including a memoir of his detainment, "Taken on Trust" (Bantam Books, 1994). He lectures extensively and works with humanitarian groups striving for compassion and understanding around the globe.

Mr. Waite will present the inaugural lecture for the Ignatian Residential College at Fairfield University The lecture/discussion, entitled "Personal Faith, Public Service" is part of the Open VISIONS Forum, a program of University College. A generous gift from the Lilly Endowment funded the establishment of the Ignatian Residential College, an academic program for selected Fairfield University sophomores.