Brits name peace center for Mitchell Former senator asked to be guest lecturer

A peace center at a British university is being named in honor of former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, who also will become a visiting lecturer, Leeds Metropolitan University announced.

The former Senate majority leader from Maine, who headed negotiations leading to the Good Friday accord of 1998 in Northern Ireland, visited Leeds on Monday when the announcement was made that a Senator George Mitchell Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution will be developed.

Professor Simon Lee, president of the university, said he was honored that Mitchell had accepted an invitation to become a visiting professor at Leeds Metropolitan.

“He will help us and our partner organizations develop a Peace Center that is worthy of his great name for making a difference,” Lee said.

After leaving Capitol Hill in 1995, Mitchell led the Northern Ireland peace talks. He was author of a Middle East peace plan that won international support in 2001 and went on to lead an investigation into alleged bribes in Salt Lake City’s bid for the 2002 Olympics.

Mitchell is the chair of the global board of the law firm DLA Piper. He was chairman of The Walt Disney Co. board and now leads an investigation into the steroid use scandal in Major League baseball.

Leeds Metropolitan has more than 52,000 students and 3,500 staff. Its regional university network involves 14 partner colleges.

During his visit to Leeds, Mitchell ceremonially helped with the first dig for construction of the university’s new landmark city center building, the Rose Bowl, which will be the new home of Leeds Business School.