For Immediate Release — March 14, 2005
Contact:
Mary E. McCrank
Media Relations Officer
(585) 245-5516
ONLY U.S. CITIZEN TO RECEIVE THE SANDINISTA’S HIGHEST HONOR TO SPEAK APRIL 5 AT SUNY GENESEO
GENESEO, N.Y. — Geneseo pediatrician Dr. Arnold Matlin, the only U.S. citizen to receive the Sandinista’s highest honor — Hero of the Revolution — will deliver a lecture on Nicaragua April 5 at the State University of New York at Geneseo.
Arnold will deliver his lecture, "Nicaragua: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow," at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, in Newton Hall 201. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Matlin will give an update on political and economic matters, U.S. policy and the Nicaraguan people. Matlin is the founder of Ciudad Hermana and the Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace. He recently returned from his second trip in 2004 to Nicaragua — this time to be presented with the Medal of the Revolution — the Order of the 25th Anniversary of the Sandinista Popular Revolution — and to be named a Hero of the Revolution.
In his acceptance speech to former Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and many others, Matlin said that although he was a strong Sandinista supporter, he did not consider himself a "hero." He gave that status to several Nicaraguans and a number of North Americans. He said he was proud to accept the honor because of the Sandinista’s victory against the dictator Somoza, and because they had carried out a broad social revolution including land reform, literacy and health care for all despite the U.S.-backed Contra war.
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