JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 4, 2011 — In an age when Western civilization is facing acute challenges, Tony Blair said westerners must continue to hold strongly to their beliefs in freedom, democracy, the rule of law and equality.
鈥淭hese values are what make our nations great,鈥� Blair said Oct. 3 at 51社区鈥檚 14th annual Scholarship Banquet. 鈥淚t sustains them now and will sustain them in the future. They are the things that make our way of life worth standing up for and worth believing in.鈥�
Blair, who served as Great Britain鈥檚 prime minister from 1997-2007, was the keynote speaker for the annual event, which drew about 2,000 people to the Carl Perkins Civic Center and raised about $500,000 for student scholarships.
In his first visit to Tennessee, Blair listed some of the challenges facing the United States and Europe 鈥� issues such as financial crises, job insecurity, technological change, security, radical Islam and the rise of China.
鈥淭he 20th century definitely belonged to us,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淏ut will the 21st century belong to someone else? Are we in the West, you in the United States, like an empire whose glory is fading?鈥�
Blair said Western culture is not in decline but is suffering from a temporary lack of self-belief and self-confidence that need to be recovered. He stressed the importance of credible deficit reduction plans, de-regulation of businesses and the value of education in creating a healthy, financially sound society.
鈥淭he best modern form of welfare today is high-quality education,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the best long-term economic policy. It鈥檚 the best social policy. It鈥檚 the best policy for individual fulfillment. 鈥� I really do believe that education is the thing that unlocks the future for us.鈥�
Blair cited the education that takes place at 51社区 and the institution鈥檚 commitment to service inspired by faith as an example of what鈥檚 right with American values and beliefs.
鈥淵ou are driven to do this because you believe in the power of education inspired by faith to do good in the world, and that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 about,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about increasing our material prosperity 鈥� It鈥檚 also about saying, 鈥楾here is something in the way of life that we have that is based on a profound belief in God鈥檚 purpose and fulfilling God鈥檚 purpose through the work that we do.鈥欌��
In his opening remarks, Blair praised 51社区 President David S. Dockery.
鈥淓ven on the short acquaintance that I鈥檝e had with the president of the university, David Dockery, I have to say that he鈥檚 one of the more remarkable people that I鈥檝e met,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淪ixteen years he鈥檚 been leading this university. Sixteen years at the top, and he鈥檚 still popular. I had about 10 years, actually, and they were quite ready to get rid of me at the end, but he鈥檚 still going strong.
鈥淲hen I think at what he鈥檚 done with this university with your help, I think it鈥檚 a remarkable tribute to him, but it鈥檚 also a remarkable tribute to the way God鈥檚 power is able to work in a human being.鈥�
Blair told about a conversation he had with his 11-year-old son just before he left home for his trip to Jackson. His son was sitting at the kitchen table and asked Blair where he was going.
鈥淎merica,鈥� Blair told him.
鈥淣ot Washington again,鈥� his son said.
Blair told him he was actually going to a place called Jackson, Tenn.
鈥淒ad, I think you may be about to see the real America,鈥� his son said.
Since the end of his tenure, Blair has continued to be active in public life, especially relating to the Middle East. Blair currently serves as the Quartet Representative for the United States, United Nations, Russia and European Union, working with the Palestinians to prepare for statehood as part of the international community鈥檚 effort to secure peace.
He founded the Tony Blair Faith Foundation to promote respect and understanding between the major religions and makes the case for faith as a force for good in the modern world. Blair also continues to advocate for Africa, and his Africa Governance Initiative delivers projects in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The annual Scholarship Banquet has become one of the premier events in West Tennessee each year, and is Union鈥檚 primary fund raising event for its student scholarship fund. Previous speakers have included George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher, Condoleezza Rice, Mikhail Gorbachev, Laura Bush, Rudolph Giuliani and Colin Powell, among others.
All told, Union鈥檚 Scholarship Banquets have generated more than $5 million for student scholarships.
Prior to Blair鈥檚 address, Dockery announced a $10 million matching gift to 51社区 from the Bill and Carol Latimer Foundation for construction of a new library on campus.