Ryan Hendrickson will uncover the truth of NATO secretaries general.

NATO, which stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is an alliance of 26 countries from North America and Europe.

“It’s going to be kind of informative for students who aren’t informed about international affairs,” said Kendall Patterson, UB lectures coordinator.

The role of NATO is to safeguard the freedom and security of countries involved and secretaries general is an area within the organization that receives little attention.

“It’s an area that is not frequently covered by analysts,” said Hendrickson, a professor in the political science department.

The role of secretaries general is to promote consensus in military alliances.

Hendrickson’s interest on the topic began when he went to the headquarters at Brussels, Belgium in 2001.

As simple as the job title is, many people do not understand that specific area of NATO, Hendrickson said.

Although Hendrickson’s interest of secretaries general began more recently, his interest in NATO began when he was in graduate school at the University of Nebraska.

However, it was 1999 when NATO was bombing Yugoslavia that his interest in the organization grew.

“That sparked my interest,” he said.

Hendrickson will help to inform students with background on secretaries general and on NATO at 8 p.m. in the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union in part of University Boards’ series “EIU Uncovered.”

“I think students will have a better understanding of foreign policy and NATO’s role,” he said.

The political science professor likes the uncovered theme and applied to give a lecture because he said that uncovering secretaries general fits the theme.

“This is a research area that hasn’t been tapped into,” he said.

Currently secretaries general and NATO are in Afghanistan working toward a consensus.

“It is a current issue,” Patterson said. “That’s one of the main reasons I choose him.”

Specifically, NATO is working to establish a representative government in Afghanistan while maintaining peace and security.

Besides NATO is involved in Afghanistan, Hendrickson said students should attend the lecture to become more informed on the issue.

Lots of money is being spent, and there is a war going on, which concerns students, he said.

Patterson said that there is a general interest in Hendrickson’s topic.

“Students always ask about controversial topics,” she said.