At the Forum, Warren will engage Blair, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1997 to June 2007, in candid conversation regarding his work in the Middle East peace process, and his role as the founder of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.
“We are honored to have Tony Blair join us for this Civil Forum,” says Warren, founding pastor of the Orange County, Calif., mega church and author of the best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life. “His work as Prime Minister has truly contributed to subjugating the five global giants, which we work to fight in the Saddleback PEACE Plan. I am looking forward to engaging in discussion regarding how government, business and the Church can continue to help efforts toward peace.”
Warren and Blair will talk about efforts to alleviate the five global giants Warren has identified in his PEACE Plan, including pandemic diseases, extreme poverty, illiteracy, self-centered leaders and spiritual emptiness. Warren’s PEACE Plan seeks to mobilize millions of Christians around the world to Promote reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick and Educate the next generation.
“As my wife Kay and I have been implementing the PEACE Plan in 68 developing countries, we have seen first-hand many of the hundreds of thousands of lives that have been changed through Prime Minister Blair’s efforts,” Warren says. “I hope that this Forum will enlighten American people in Mr. Blair’s work on partnering and bringing about this process of change.”
At the upcoming Civil Forum, Blair is expected to discuss the situation in the Middle East, and its impact not only on the region but in the wider world. He will also discuss the challenges that globalization brings to the modern world, and the reasons why he has set up his Faith Foundation as a way of building peaceful co-existence and understanding of why religion matters in the world.
“I am delighted to be welcomed by Pastor Rick Warren and Saddleback Church,” Blair says. “I look forward to speaking with Rick on some of the profoundly significant issues and challenges that face us today in a globalized world.”
The event will be held in the main auditorium of Saddleback Church on March 6 at 6:00 p.m. PDT. All free tickets were distributed to Saddleback Church attendees. No additional general admission tickets are available. Saddleback Church will have overflow venues available on the Saddleback Campus for anyone wishing to view the event by a video feed and will also stream live online at www.SaddlebackCivilForum.com.
The Saddleback Civil Forums were established to promote civil discourse and the common good of all. The Saddleback Civil Forum on Peace in a Globalized Economy will be the eighth such event hosted by Saddleback Church. Past Civil Forums have touched on a variety of issues from leadership to service to orphan care to reconciliation and featured such leaders as President George W. Bush and President Kagame of Rwanda. The most notable event was the Saddleback Civil Forum on The Presidency featuring presumptive presidential nominees Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain discussing issues of leadership, held in August 2008. Additional information about Civil Forums can be found at www.SaddlebackCivilForum.com.
