Former first lady Laura Bush to speak at Show Me Center

Former first lady Laura Bush, an advocate for literacy, education and women's rights, will speak Wednesday at the Show Me Center.

The event, slated for 7:30 p.m., is part of Southeast Missouri State University's annual speaker series.

Tickets for "An Evening with Laura Bush" are $10 each and are available at the Show Me Center box office or online at showmecenter.biz.

A former public school librarian, Bush has been a leading voice for spreading freedom and promoting human rights across the globe, the university said on its website.

As chair of the Bush Institute's Women's Initiative, the former first lady is passionate about access to education, health care and economic opportunity for women and girls around the world, according to the school's website.

The Bush Institute prepares and empowers the next generation of women leaders in North Africa and the Middle East, works to ensure the expansion and protection of women's rights in Afghanistan -- and engages and supports first ladies from around the world so they can effectively use their unique platforms to advance issues for women and girls in their countries, according to Southeast's website.

Bush wrote a best-selling memoir, "Spoken from the Heart," and a best-selling children's book, "Our Great Big Backyard."

Following her presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session.