Speakers announced for civility and politics dialogue lunches

Oct 14, 2011

The Wallace Centers of Iowa will host a series of four dialogue lunches beginning Tuesday, November 8 for in-depth discussion about civility in the community. "Civility & Politics: a Possibility or an Oxymoron?" will explore civil discourse in today's political arena. The discussions will take place at the Wallace House, 756 16th Street in Des Moines. 

"With the national spotlight on Iowa's upcoming caucus, it's important that civility be at the forefront in campaigning, political discussions, and written commentary," said Diane Weiland, CEO and Program Developer of The Wallace Centers of Iowa. "These dialogues will help attendees model civil discussion throughout the caucus and election season."

At each lunch, a community speaker will introduce a civility theme and share his or her experiences within the political arena. WCI will provide a civility tool at each lunch that can be used by citizens to effectively assess political candidates at the local, state, and national levels. Following the speaker, audience members will share their own civility experiences and tips during small group discussions.

The schedule of speakers includes:
November 8: Former West Des Moines city council member Loretta Sieman
November 15: Media spokesperson Courtney Maxwell Greene
November 22: Ambassador Mary Kramer 
November 29: Des Moines Register Editor Rick Green 

The lunches will be held from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm and includes a main dish and dessert. Cost is $20 per person for each lunch or $70 for all four. Seating is limited. Contact Janis Falk at 515.243.7063 or janfalk@wallace.org for reservations. Advance payment by check is required. Special dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice. 

The civility dialogue lunch series is part of the Better Together - Creating Community through Civility project. Organizations partnering in this effort include The Wallace Centers of Iowa, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Character Counts in Iowa, Drake University, and the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa. For more information, visit www.wallace.org.