Northwestern President Morton Schapiro will deliver the opening keynote at the 2013 GlobeMed Summit, the global health organization announced today.

Schapiro will speak April 11 at GlobeMed’s annual NU-hosted keynote. The theme of the 2013 summit is “The Student Momentum” and it will explore the role of youth in global social movements.

Founded in 2007 by a group of NU students,  the organization has since grown to include chapters at 50 schools across the United States. Each chapter collaborates with a community-based health organization in Africa, Asia or the Americas. The first summit was held in 2009.

Summit co-director Sarah Hersey wrote on the organization’s website Schapiro’s expertise in higher education gives him unique insights on this year’s theme.

“We can’t wait to hear more of Morty’s personal experiences and thoughts on the role of youth in this present moment and in the movement for global health equity,” the Weinberg sophomore wrote.

The other two keynotes at the summit, which runs through April 13, will be given by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, and Zeenat Rahman, special adviser on global youth issues to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

— Joseph Diebold