AC4 Hosts Senator George Mitchell for a discussion of his memoir, The Negotiator
On Monday, October 19, AC4, in collaboration with the Masters in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program (NECR), the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (MD-ICCCR), and the City University of New York Dispute Resolution Center at John Jay College, hosted a talk with Senator George Mitchell on his memoir, The Negotiator. Senator George Mitchell came from a working-class household in Maine and went on to become the majority leader of the U.S. Senate. As U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, he is known as one of the most respected peace negotiators in the world.
In a candid conversation with Professor Aldo Civico, he stressed his hope that the same opportunities would be made available to young working-class students today. Senator Mitchell discussed numerous topics ranging from domestic policy issues, to global issues, to personal anecdotes from his life. The conversation ranged from the current shortfalls of U.S. immigration policy, the need for transparency in politics, to the current crisis in the Middle East and the importance of education. He shared several life lessons with students, such as the importance of listening in negotiations, respecting adversaries and learning to consider the viewpoints of others while maintaining one’s composure. He also stressed the value of life-long learning, both in the classroom and through professional experience, and provided a personal story of how educators can greatly impact the lives of their students.
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