http://illinois.edu/calendar/list/3801 Friday Forum has been continuously running for over 80 years at the University YMCA and has featured speakers such as William Schulz, Amnesty International, then state senator, Barack Obama, and former Executive Director of the U.N. World Food Programme, Catherine Bertini. Although speakers, topics, and formats have changed, the Forum remains committed to providing talks that address topics of relevance and urgency in our society. The Spring 2012 Forum lecture series will offer a comparative exploration of innovative approaches to global development for the 21st Century. The committee has built a series that investigates various subfields within development (economic, environment, public health, etc.) with a focus on the varying policies and programs offered by different countries, regions, intergovernmental, nongovernmental and educational institutions.