Amos Fortune Forum Reaches 70th Year Milestone, presenting a Diverse group of speakers scheduled for Summer of 2016.
One of the nation’s oldest speakers’ forums, The Amos Fortune Forum, celebrates its 70th season this year. Some of the most interesting and talented experts from the Monadnock region, New England and the globe have entered the Jaffrey Meetinghouse on a Friday summer evening and enthralled audiences with a myriad of topics. Seven decades ago, the first speaker was Greenville Clark, the renowned Wall Street lawyer who wrote the book, “World Peace Through World Law.” Past speakers have included: Thornton Wilder, Helen Kirkpatrick, James Johnson Sweeney, Edwin H. Land, Russell Baker, U.S. Senator Thomas J. McIntyre, Jeff MacNelly, P.J. O’Rourke and Rebecca Eaton.
The lineup of speakers for the summer of 2016 continues the tradition of representing a diverse group of backgrounds and topics. Topics this year include Amos Fortune, Syrian refugees, Islam, energy, Americana and the art of puppetry. The list of speakers and topics for 2016:
7/8 SARA LAWRENCE-LIGHTFOOT, MacArthur prize-winning sociologist
“Honoring Amos Fortune’s Life and Legacy: On Witness, Justice, and Respect”
7/15 IAIN KERR, CEO, Ocean Alliance
“Why whales?”
7/22 DAN BARRY, New York Times columnist
“Baseball, Bunkhouses, and Burlesque: Travels Across America.”
7/29 SUSANNE WENTZLER, Humanitarian
“The German refugee crisis, a threat or an opportunity? Reflections from an engaged volunteer.”
8/5 CLAY MITCHELL, Lecturer/Teacher, University of New Hampshire
“Renewable Energy”
8/12 JAMIE HAMILTON, Rector, All Saints’ Parish, Peterborough
“Iqra: Reading the Qur’an”
8/19 DAN HURLIN, Teacher of performance art, dance and puppetry, Sarah Lawrence College, Obie Award winner
“Futurism, puppets and me. A personal look at the Italian Futurists.”
The Amos Fortune Forum is presented at the Old Meetinghouse in historic Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire, approximately 2.5 miles west of Downtown Jaffrey. Jaffrey is approximately 80 miles from downtown Boston. Speakers are presented at 8pm sharp each Friday during the summer. The Forum maintains a free admission policy. After each forum, a brief reception is held with each speaker at The First Church in Jaffrey, directly across from the Old Meetinghouse. Information for the Forum can be found at www.amosfortune.com, Facebook (facebook.com/amosfortuneforum
About Amos Fortune Forum: Amos Fortune Forum, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, has been providing a platform for speakers to express ideas, concepts, information and history to thousands of curious and engaged citizens since 1946. It has been internationally recognized as one of the most important and influential speakers’ forums in the world. The Amos Fortune Forum, now in its 70th season, is free to the public. Operating expenses are partially offset by a generous annual bequest from the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Charitable Foundation, as well as by contributions from residents of the Monadnock Region and beyond.
