Dennis Kucinich, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 to 2013, will deliver the 12th Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 at the Lobero Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara. The event is free and open to the public.

Kucinich’s lecture is titled “Restoring Hope for America’s Future through Developing a Culture of Peace.”

Kucinich is a passionate and articulate leader for peace and disarmament. He was a strong advocate in Congress to establish a U.S. Department of Peace, and was a leader in the efforts to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We are pleased to welcome Dennis Kucinich to Santa Barbara for what is sure to be a thought-provoking look at America’s future,” said David Krieger, president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. “He is an outstanding leader for peace who has important insights to share on building a Culture of Peace.”

It was recently announced that Kucinich, in a surprise move, will be a regular contributor to the Fox News Channel.

The Annual Frank K. Kelly Lecture on Humanity’s Future was established by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation in 2001. Kelly was a founder and senior vice president of the foundation. His career included being a journalist, a soldier, a Neiman Fellow, a speechwriter for Harry Truman, assistant to the U.S. Senate majority leader and vice president of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions.

For more information about the February event, click here or call 805.965.3443.

— Rick Wayman is the director of programs for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.