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№ 2008.020 — Yale University — Yale College Class Day address
Tony Blair
Former prime minister of the United Kingdom
Tony Blair addresses Yale's Class of 2008, opening with humor about being the first British Class Day speaker before describing the world he sees as Middle East envoy, including the religious and political conflicts of the region and the eastward shift of global power toward China and India. He frames graduates as a global generation facing interdependent challenges like climate change, terrorism, and population growth, and offers personal advice on lifelong learning, friendship, purpose, and leadership. He closes with reflections on parental love and pride, sharing anecdotes from his own student days.
Key moments
- 01 Humorous opening on being the first British Class Day speaker
- 02 Observations from Bethlehem and Jericho on Middle East conflict and extremism
- 03 Warning about power shifting East to China and India and the need for partnership
- 04 Personal life advice: keep learning, value friendship, embrace failure, have purpose
- 05 Reflections on parental love and his father at the train station
Transcript
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Read the full transcript at source →Provenance
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Category: Politics