The Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future was established by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation in 2001. Frank K. Kelly was a founder and senior vice president of the Foundation. His career included being a journalist, a soldier, a Neiman Fellow, a speechwriter for Harry Truman, assistant to the US Senate Majority Leader, and vice president of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions.
Beyond all of his achievements, Frank had a remarkable faith in humanity and its future. He lived with a spirit of optimism and hope. He was a visionary advocate for humanity and inspired many people through his writing and example to take action on behalf of humanity. The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and many of Frank’s friends sought to honor him by establishing the Frank K. Kelly Annual Lecture on Humanity’s Future. The lecture will be given annually by a distinguished individual and will be widely disseminated.
Frank Kelly passed away on June 11, 2010, one
day before his 96th birthday. See Frank's
tribute page which includes numerous articles and photos.
Nominate a Speaker for the next Frank K. Kelly Lecture!
2013 Lecture
The 12th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity's Future will be delivered on February 8, 2013, by Dennis Kucinich. The title of the lecture is "Restoring Hope for America's Future through Developing a Culture of Peace." It will take place on Friday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, CA. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Dennis Kucinich is a passionate and articulate leader for peace and disarmament. He led an effort in Congress to establish a U.S. Department of Peace. He was also an early supporter of the nuclear abolition movement. During his 16 years in Congress, he was a spokesperson for U.S. participation in many disarmament treaties, including the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions. He was an advocate for the U.S. joining the International Criminal Court and a driving force in the effort to stop the U.S. from attacking Iraq. He also led the efforts in Congress to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For more information, contact the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation at (805) 965-3443 or click here for a flyer.
2012 Lecture
Dr. Daniel Ellsberg delivered the 2012 Frank K. Kelly Lecture on humanity's Future on
February 23, 2012 at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA.
The title of the lecture was "Nuclear Weapons and Humanity's Future."
Daniel Ellsberg is widely known for leaking the Pentagon Papers to the press in 1971. He also worked as a nuclear weapons strategist for the U.S. government for many years. Ellsberg’s story has been recounted in the 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary, The Most Dangerous Man in America, and in his book Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers.
Commander Robert Green (Royal Navy, Ret.) delivered the 2011 Frank K. Kelly Lecture on humanity's Future on
February 17, 2011 at Santa Barbara City College's Fé Bland Forum.
The title of the lecture was "Breaking Free from Nuclear Deterrence."
Commander Green is the author of a recent book entitled Security Without Nuclear Deterrence.
As a bombardier-navigator in the British Royal Navy, Commander Green was involved in many flights with nuclear weapons on board.
After thinking critically about the human and environmental consequences of using such weapons,
Commander Green began developing his philosophy of national security without reliance on nuclear weapons.
Ambassador Max Kampelman, chief arms control negotiator for President Reagan with the Soviet
Union, gave the 9th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future in February 2010 at Santa Barbara City College.
The lecture, entitled “Zero Nuclear Weapons for a Sane and
Sustainable World,” is the product of Ambassador Kampelman's rich experience as a lawyer, diplomat and educator.
In his lecture, Kampelman says, "I am convinced that zero nuclear weapons must be our immediate civilized goal."
Renowned author and activist Frances Moore Lappé gave a rousing lecture in February 2009 at La Casa de Maria in Montecito, CA. Her lecture was titled "Living Democracy, Feeding Hope." In it, she outlines a concept she calls "thin democracy" or the lack of healthy participation that gives rise to the failure to adequately distribute the resources needed for all people to live sustainably on the planet.
The standing room-only crowd was very moved by the lecture, and a lively question and answer session followed.
One of the country’s premier peace educators came to Santa Barbara in February, and his message was clear:
Unless we teach our children peace, someone else will teach them violence.
Colman McCarthy is an adjunct professor at Georgetown
University Law Center. In addition, he teaches classes
at three Washington DC high schools. He wrote columns for
the Washington Post for 28 years and founded the
Center for Teaching Peace in 1985. The title of his talk was “Teach Peace,” where he called for a significant change in our educational
system.
McCarthy believes peace studies should be part of the
core curriculum. He believes the philosophy of peace
the writings of great peace leaders and non-violent conflict
resolution should be part of a very practical,
community-oriented approach to education.
According to McCarthy, peace starts at home. "It's too easy only to blame ... What’s harder
is self-examination ... What more should I be doing
everyday to bring about a peace and justice-based world,
whether across the ocean or across the living room?"
Jakob von Uexkull is the founder of the Right Livelihood Awards, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prizes. These awards have been presented in the Swedish Parliament for the past 25 years to individuals meeting the challenges of environmental pollution, the danger of nuclear war, the abuse of human rights and the plight of the impoverished. He is also a founder of the World Future Council, a body of 50 globally recognized wise elders, pioneers and youth leaders, that was formed to give voice to the interests of future generations on issues related to the environment, peace, justice, human development and human rights. The World Future Council seeks to provide an ethical dimension to the most important issues of our time. Von Uexkull is a former member of the European Parliament and the UNESCO Commission on Human Duties and Responsibilities. He has dedicated his life to protecting the welfare of the planet and its citizens, particularly those who are most vulnerable.
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire gave the 5th Annual Frank
K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future entitled “A Right to Live without Violence, Nuclear Weapons and War” at UC Santa Barbara’s
Corwin Pavilion.
Mairead Corrigan Maguire received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for
her work to create a nonviolent peace in Northern
Ireland. She co-founded the Community of Peace People
earlier that same year, which instituted marches
across Northern Ireland demanding an end to religious
violence. She also co-founded the Committee on the
Administration of Justice, a non-sectarian organization
of Northern Ireland which defends human rights and
seeks changes to the government’s legal system. She received the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's Distinguished
Peace Leadership Award in 1991 and remains a member of the Foundation’s Advisory Council.
Robert Jay Lifton delivered the fourth annual lecture entitled, “America and the Human Future: Surviving Vietnam,
9/11 and Iraq ” at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Robert Jay Lifton is Lecturer in Psychiatry at
Harvard Medical School and
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Psychology at City University of
New York (CUNY). He was formerly Director of The Center on Violence and Human
Survival at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He previously held the Foundations'
Fund Research Professorship of Psychiatry at Yale University for more than two decades.
The overall themes of Dr. Lifton's work have been holocaust and transformation. He has
studied many of the most destructive events of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
and has played an important role in the development of the field of psychohistory. His
many books have won him critical acclaim, and he is the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees.
Dame Anita Roddick gave the third annual lecture entitled, “Kindness
as a Key to Humanity’s Future” at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Dame Anita Roddick
is founder of The Body Shop and an eminent author and speaker. Since founding The Body Shop in 1976 with
the mission “To dedicate our business to the pursuit of social and environmental change,” Roddick
has become an icon for corporate responsibility and social justice practices. She is the author of five
books and has received numerous awards for her work, including most recently being named Dame Commander
of the British Empire. She serves as trustee to a number of international organizations, including the Nuclear
Age Peace Foundation.
Professor Richard Falk delivered the second lecture in the series
at the University of California at Santa Barbara entitled, “American Civil Liberties & Human Rights Under Siege.” Professor
Richard Falk is the Albert G. Milbank Professor Emeritus
of International Law and Practice at Princeton University
and Visiting Distinguished Professor of Global Studies
at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He
serves as chair of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation,
and is a recipient of the UNESCO Peace Education Prize.
In order
to ensure the continuity of the Frank K. Kelly Annual
Lecture on Humanity’s Future in subsequent years, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
has set up a permanent endowment fund to support expenses associated with the Lecture. The Frank K. Kelly Annual
Lecture Fund will allow the Foundation to invite a distinguished individual to present the lecture each year and to disseminate
the publication broadly.
If you are interested in receiving information about helping to sustain the Frank K. Kelly Annual Lecture
on Humanity’s Future through an endowment gift,
please contact the Foundation at (805) 965-3443.
To order a copy of the above lectures, please email us.
Dr. Daniel Ellsberg delivered the 2012 Frank K. Kelly Lecture on humanity's Future on
February 23, 2012 at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA.
The title of the lecture was "Nuclear Weapons and Humanity's Future." 
One of the country’s premier peace educators came to Santa Barbara in February, and his message was clear: