It's Ateneo's 150th year! So the University invited former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to speak at the Sesquicentennial Leadership Forum held today at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater at the Ateneo de Manila University. It was an invitational forum and I was lucky to get invited being Secretary of the Ateneo Alumni Association this year.All I can say is that I am still awestruck after listening to Blair speak. He is such a great speaker! The title of his speech was "The Leader as a Nation-Builder in a Time of Globalization" where he talked about his experiences and how in today's world, no nation is powerful enough to move forward on its own. All our problems, from the fight against terror to global warming, all need a concerted effort and meaningful cooperation among nations if we are to succeed.
He had a great sense of humor and got us laughing a good number of times. And he was game enough to take off his coat to wear an Ateneo sports jacket! I'll try to get a copy of his speech.Here's the news report from GMANews.TV in Filipino...
and in English...
waaah my brother had an exam so we didnt get to go sayang i didnt know you will be there!!!
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about the Ateneo speech was that it was invitational and free! La Salle is charging as much as P25,000 for the Sofitel event right now. Ang dami pang newspaper ads! Hehe!
ReplyDeleteSayang! I had an exam this afternoon which was canceled din naman pala. I really wanted to hear what Tony Blair had to say.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to ask for a copy of the video recording.
ReplyDeletelangyang yan si pareng tony. di man lang nagtext na nasa ateneo sya!
ReplyDeletehey cool! wish there's a video floating somewhere
ReplyDeletekuya ivan! mikee here, peter lee's brother. i'm envious! i'm in ateneo right now and i've been hearing good things about the people who have seen tony blair. i'll wait for a copy of the speech.
ReplyDeleteHey Mikee! Now I'm starstruck! Hehe! I've asked the office to request for a copy of the speech. I'll post it as soon as I get it!
ReplyDeleteCan he walk on water, too?
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect bro. Ivan but a few pinches of salt are in order. Let us not be so easily taken. Instead let's keep our critical faculties sharp.
ReplyDeleteFYI TB is the Catholic Church's convert du jour, having "returned" to the Holy Mother Church" from Henry VIII's "heretic" fold. Beware of Geeks bearing gifts.
great 'speaker', that's why the rest of the world swallowed their lies about saddam's wmds.
ReplyDeleteWOW! WOMD or no WOMD this should still be something significant to watch.
ReplyDeleteI hope he is a good speaker...when you see his fees...
ReplyDeleteChina condemns Tony Blair as a gold digger over $500,000 fee for three-hour trip
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/the_blair_years/article2830992.ece... Read More
Tony Blair has made more than 12 million pounds ($19 million) since stepping down as British premier over a year ago, a British newspaper reported Wednesday.The sum amounts to more than six times his entire life earnings up to his departure from office in June 2007.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/tony-blair-worlds-highest-paid-public-speaker-report_100112873.html
Wow! Hot topic! Hehe! I understand the negative sentiments. Don't worry.
ReplyDeleteSidney, I was told part of those fees are used to fund his projects. According to Fr. Nebres, they are worthwhile endeavors.
winner! i didnt even know he's here...
ReplyDeleteHi Ivan, yah, why are they (La Salle?) charging this much? Pupunta pa siya sa developing country, pang-elitista din naman pala siya.
ReplyDeletemedjes
Well, he needs to raise funds for his projects and causes I was told. On La Salle charging that much, I leave that for them to answer.
ReplyDeleteDamn, didn't know he was here.
ReplyDeleteAfter Barack Obama, he's the politician I would've most wanted to see.
He's a good man. Too bad he got tainted by the warmongering Bush administration.
i am thoroughly in-awe of this man. after he converted back to Roman Catholicism (kindov against the grain right? since hating the Church is such a fad now), my admiration for the man is forever cemented.
ReplyDeletei hate that i missed such once in a lifetime opportunity to hear the most eloquent speaker of our time (sorry, Barack)