Counselor René Dinesen of the Danish Mission to the United Nations will give a lecture at Coastal Carolina University on Thursday, Jan. 24 on "The United Nations: Is It Useful and Relevant in the 21st Century?" The event is free and open to the public.

The talk will be held in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts, room 256 from 10 to 11:15 a.m.

Dinesen earned a master's degree in political science/international relations from the University of Copenhagen. He has worked in the Danish Foreign Service since 1997, holding numerous positions in Denmark and abroad, most recently as the private secretary/adviser to the Danish Foreign Minister. He is currently posted to the U.N. Mission of Denmark in New York as counselor and the head of the political section at the mission, primarily dealing with Security Council matters.

Dinesen believes the end of the Cold War and the rise of globalization may provide opportunities for the U.N. to regulate the maintenance of peace in the world. He will discuss how the U.N. has changed since its origins in the post-World War II era and the role of the organization in fostering international cooperation in areas of importance to all mankind, such as terrorism and global warming.

For more information, contact Pam Martin at 349-2966.