UC Irvine Chancellor Drake heads to China to give keynote speech

UC Irvine Chancellor Michael V. Drake traveled Friday, July 20, to Beijing, China, where he will be the American keynote speaker at the 2007 Silk Road to the Future Olympic banner presentation Friday, July 27. Designated as an Ambassador of Peace by the Legends of China Foundation, Drake said, “It is with great pride that I accept the foundation’s gracious invitation to speak at this monumental event. Creating opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding among students and educators in our two nations is essential to our university’s mission.” The Silk Road to the Future presentation has been held annually since 2001 in preparation for Beijing’s first Olympic Games in 2008. Each year, students from the U.S. and China create works of silk art representing world peace, which are added to a banner depicting China’s Silk Road. The completed banner will be carried during the games’ opening ceremony.