FAIRFIELD, Conn., March 30, 2004—Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio and  Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, will be the featured speaker at the annual lecture sponsored by The Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding of Sacred Heart University.  The event, free and open to the general public, will be held Wednesday, March 31 at 7:30 pm, in the Mahogany Room on the University's main campus, at 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield.

The Archbishop's lecture, “Fundamental Agreement: Pedagogy of Peace,” will commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the signing of The Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel.

Archbishop Migliore obtained a master's degree in theology at the Center of Theological Studies in Fossano, Italy.  He then pursued his studies at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, where he was awarded the Doctorate in Canon Law.  In 1980, after graduating from the Pontifical Academy for Ecclesiastical Diplomacy, he joined the Holy Sea's diplomatic service. 

His first assignment was to Angola where, from 1980 to 1984, he served as attaché and second secretary to the Apostolic Delegation.  From there, he was transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States of America where he served also as Alternate Observer to the Organization of American States.  In 1988 he was appointed to the Apostolic Nunciature in Egypt, remaining there for a year.  He was then assigned at the Apostolic Nunciature in Warsaw, Poland, a post he held until his appointment in April 1992 as Special Envoy with the role of Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

From December 1995 to October 2002, he served as Under-Secretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, at the Vatican.  During his term, he was also in charge of fostering relations with several Asian countries that do not yet have formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See.  In this capacity, he traveled to Beijing, Hanoi, and P'yongyang, North Korea, as Head of Delegation of the Holy See.