"The Rise of Democracy in the Middle East" featuring the Dalai Lama

The so-called "Arab Spring" has rocked the world. Centered in the Middle East, but reverberating everywhere, citizens have been rising up, demanding civil and economic rights, protesting against and overthrowing totalitarian regimes. Governments have been replaced in Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, and Libya. There will certainly be more. The discussion will consider the lessons of this movement and the pathway forward for emerging democracies, and question what must be done to consolidate gains on a humanitarian level, while continuing to move in the direction of a more peaceful—and compassionate—existence.

Moderated by NBC News national and international correspondent Ann Curry. Welcome by Chancellor Nancy Cantor. Introduction by Founding Director of the SU Humanities Center, Gregg Lambert.

Panelists: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama; Nobel Peace Laureate and Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi; Nobel Peace Laureate and former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei; director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University's School of Public Service Irshad Manji; energy and national security specialist and former Director of Central Intelligence R. James Woolsey; and former U.N. ambassador Andrew Young.