All Are Welcome to the Lutheran World Relief Virtual University

Baltimore, February 19, 2008 — Want to change the world? Log on to the Lutheran World Relief Virtual U to link up live with experts who share their knowledge and strategy, and invite you to join the effort.

The LWR Virtual U is a free monthly webinar class with a nation-wide roster of students, along with participants from around the world. It is for people who want to learn more about complex global issues. Together, we break down the big questions like, Why is there poverty? What can I do? The LWR Virtual U presents current situation reports on international concerns; by the end of the hour Virtual U participants identify their own role in contributing to the solutions. 

This month we will explore the topic of “Forgotten Disasters: Malaria, Sudan, Tsunami and the ‘CNN Effect.” The class will be on Thursday, February 21 at 9 p.m. EST. For simple instructions on how to log on to the webinar, please see the Virtual U homepage, www.lwr.org/university. A Flash file is recorded and available following the class for those who are not able to participate live.

As part of our ongoing efforts to make Virtual U a time for learning and enjoyment, LWR is offering a special incentive this month. By participating online you could win a case of 30 Divine Chocolate bars.

Be the 14th or 63rd student to log in to the webinar and LWR will reward you with fairly traded Divine Chocolate — the first farmer-owned brand of chocolate in the world. Two winners will be announced live at the end of class and given the choice between 30 bars of milk or dark Divine Chocolate.

LWR is pleased to announce that this February class is presented in partnership with the Lutheran Community Foundation, a Minneapolis-based community foundation working nationally to help people act on their values through charitable giving.

This month we also invite feedback to inform future planning. Tell us what you think about the Virtual U via our online survey at www.lwr.org/university. It’s brief, but ever so helpful. Current and future Virtual U participants are encouraged to fill out the survey.

For more information, contact Terri Mork Speirs, tspeirs@lwr.org, or 515-243-7691, ext. 434.