Entertainer, Songwriter Willie Nelson to Receive Inaugural Award for Bridging Divides, Oct. 19

AUSTIN, Texas – Sept. 27, 2007 – Entertainer and songwriter Willie Nelson will receive the inaugural “Bridging Divides” Award from The University of Texas at Austin Project on Conflict Resolution.

The award, given to an individual who has aided peaceful conflict resolution, will be given at a dinner at 7 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the Frank Erwin Center.

“Willie Nelson embodies the kind of peaceful tolerance that can resolve conflicts – whether it’s singing duets with musicians from a spectrum of styles and political positions, supporting the family farm through Farm Aid, or drawing attention to the opportunities of biodiesel,” said Dr. Madeline Maxwell, founder of the University of Texas at Austin Conflict Resolution Center and a professor in the Department of Communication Studies in the College of Communication. “His efforts to advance peace and understanding among diverse audiences are prime examples of the type of collaborative endeavors promoted by the Project on Conflict Resolution.”

The “Bridging Divides” dinner will feature “Texas Monthly” Editor Evan Smith as the emcee and guest artists Amy Nelson singing a song she wrote with her father, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, along with a tribute to Nelson.

The dinner is being organized with the help of two student organizations, The Society of Professional Mediators and the Willie Nelson Center Students for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

For information about individual ticket sales or to sponsor a table, please contact Madeline Maxwell at (512) 471-1954 or visit: http://www.utpcr.org.

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Contacts:
Madeline Maxwell
(512) 471-1954
or
Erin Geisler
(512) 475-8071