BIRMIGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Alliance Française of Birmingham will present a free public lecture in English by author Laurent Cohen-Tanugi titled "The State of the European Union: Towards a New World Player?" at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 in the UAB Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall, 950 13th St. South.

The event is free and open to the public. For more details, call 205-934-8902 or visit the Web site at www.afbirmingham.org.

Cohen-Tanugi is an international lawyer specializing in transnational mergers and acquisitions and international arbitration. During his lecture, he will examine the European Union's economy, politics and its current diplomatic status in the world. He also will discuss Europe's readiness to become a world player and a credible and effective partner of the United States in an increasingly uncertain world.

In October 2007, the French government asked Cohen-Tanugi to conduct a study on the future of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Employment in the European Union. The assignment led to the publication of a report, "Beyond Lisbon: A European Strategy for Globalization."

He is the author of numerous works, including his 2003 book An Alliance of Risk: The United States and Europe Since Sept. 11 (Johns Hopkins University Press). The book explores the current state and perspectives on the evolution of transatlantic relations. He also is a regular contributor to the French dailies Les Echos and Le Monde and is a board member of several think tanks.

About the UAB Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

The UAB Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures offers a full range of language, culture, literature and civilization courses to meet the diverse global challenges facing today's students.