Chilean President Frei visits University of Chicago Feb. 25

President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle of Chile will deliver the speech “Time to Share Opportunities” at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 in Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St. on the campus of the University of Chicago. The talk is free and open to the public.

His visit marks the 40th anniversary of the first enrollment of Chilean graduate students in the Economics Department of the University. The students came to the University as part of an arrangement with the Catholic University of Chile. As a result, the influence of the University of Chicago has helped steer the nation on the course of free market development that has made Chile a model economy.

Frei was a student leader at the University of Chile, where he completed a degree in civil engineering. He joined the Christian Democratic Party in 1958. During the nation’s military regime, Frei was a founder and promoter of the Committee for Free Elections and campaigned for the return of civilian rule.

He was elected Senator from Santiago in 1989 and president of the Christian Democratic Party in 1991. He was elected president of Chile in 1993 with 58 percent of the vote.