Former U.S. Senator Gary Hart will speak on “Global Citizens Make Global Leaders” at the 2004 Passport to Knowledge breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 15 at the Donald Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Complex in downtown Denver. Funds raised at this annual event benefit the Center for International Studies Foundation by providing travel opportunities and specialized textbooks for participating students at West High School.

The event is free. Guests are invited to make corporate or individual donations during the breakfast before they leave. Reservations are needed by Friday, April 9. To make reservations, contact Melanie Grant at mgrant7216@aol.com or Dianna Vigil at 303-394-9720 or DVigil1031@aol.com.

After retiring in 1987 from the U.S. Senate, Hart has pursued international law and business endeavors, became a sought-after adviser to U.S. corporations and authored several books. His most recent book, “Restoration of the Republic: The Jeffersonian Ideal in 21st Century America,” was published in 2002.

Hart currently is a senior counsel to Coudert Brothers, an international law firm with offices in 18 countries.

Hart served as a co-chair of the U.S. Commission on National Security for the 21st Century. That commission predicted the terrorist attacks on the United States. He has been a vocal proponent of overhauling American security policies to deal with the worldwide threat of terrorism. He was co-chair of the Council on Foreign Relations’ task force that presented a report, “America Unprepared - America Still in Danger,” in October 2002.

Senator Hart has a doctor of philosophy degree from Oxford University, and graduate law and divinity degrees from Yale University.

Colorado first elected Gary Hart to the Senate in 1974. During his 12 years in the U.S. Senate, Hart was a member of the Armed Services Committee, Senate Environment Committee, Budget Committee and the Intelligence Oversight Committee. He was one of the first officials to forecast the end of the Cold War.

The Center for International Studies was founded in 1986, offering students the opportunity to take intensive courses in languages and international studies. With the addition of Arabic in fall 2003, CIS now offers Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish and Russian language classes.

One of center’s strengths is its emphasis on travel abroad, made possible through funds raised by the CIS Foundation for the Eugene Levin Travel Endowment Fund. In 2003 and 2004, students traveled to Mexico, the Philippines, Ireland, Japan and China. CIS/West hosted students from the Kunming Foreign Language High School in February through an U.S. State Department initiative as part of a three-year program.

Dr. Daniel Lutz, director of CIS, states, “Without the vision and support of our volunteers and private fundors, most of our budding internationalists could never realize their potential without direct international and cross-cultural experiences.”

Students in the CIS program earn a Diploma of International Studies in addition to a high school diploma.

Co-chairs of the Passport to Knowledge breakfast are Melanie Grant, Kent Christopher (K.C.) Veio and Dianna Vigil-Sclavenitis. The Center for International Studies Foundation is a 501 C (3) not-for profit organization established to support the mission of CIS, “Developing Tomorrow’s Global Citizens.’’ Concordia on the Lake, Jordon Perlmutter & Co. and the Raccoon Creek Golf Club are Passport sponsors. Other sponsors include USBank, Vectra Bank, Loup Development and Harriet and Jerry Feld’s Club 404. KMAS-TV Telemundo returns as the media sponsor.

Reservations for the April 15 breakfast must be turned in by Friday, April 9 to either Melanie Grant or Dianna Vigil. For more information contact Dianna Vigil at 303-394-9720, DVigil1031@aol.com , or Dr. Dan Lutz at 303-620-5364 or dlutz3@qwest.net.