University News | October 14, 2011

Fareed Zakaria named 2012 Harvard Commencement speaker

The international affairs expert, writer, and television host holds a Harvard Ph.D. in government.

International affairs expert Fareed Zakaria will be the principal speaker at Harvard's 361st Commencement, the University announced today.

Zakaria earned a Ph.D. in government from Harvard in 1993. A prolific writer, he has been an editor at Time magazine, Newsweek's international edition, and Foreign Affairs. His books include The Post-American World, The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad, and From Wealth to Power: The Unusual Origins of America's World Role. He is the host of the CNN international-affairs program GPS. Esquire magazine has called him "the most influential foreign policy adviser of his generation."

In the official announcement, President Drew Faust called him "an unusually creative and incisive thinker in the realm of international affairs."

Zakaria will speak at the Afternoon Exercises—the annual meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association—which in 2012 take place on May 24.

You might also like

Man wearing a suit stands at a podium and speaks into a microphone.

President Alan M. Garber used traditional Memorial Church address to consider the unique qualities of human intelligence and learning.

Two men hold up a red banner with "2030" written on it in white in a wood paneled room

Due to rain, the University held dual Convocation ceremonies for the Class of 2030 in Sanders Theatre.

Red brick building with large windows and greenery, set against a bright blue sky.

After a final round of layoffs, University leaders say 165 staff jobs were eliminated across the division.

Most popular

Stone building with tall columns, steps leading up, and a flag atop under a cloudy sky.

The University will compensate families of those whose remains were sold and establish a scholarship to honor anatomical donors.

Arched doorway with a decorative window above, labeled "University Hall," surrounded by stone.

The division is launching a new fundraising effort to support 50 additional students.

Illustration of a man plugging his ears on the roof of his house as floodwaters engulf the building

Why Some Citizens Reject Science

Bridging the gulf to science deniers

Explore More From Current Issue

Smiling woman stands beside a large skull in a display cabinet.

Faculty

From competing in youth gymnastics to studying tetrapods, the Harvard curator has always chased her curiosity.

Research

The stakes are high for this husband and wife: one of them will die if they don’t find a cure.

Three hands hold smartphones displaying social media profiles with likes and hearts.

Tell us about how social media impacts your daily life.