There is little doubt the world has become a much “smaller” place with the creation of the Internet, satellite communications, instant messaging and other media and devices.

Even so, there are parts of the world that still seem mysterious, distant and complex.

Fortunately for us at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez we have an instructor who can unravel the ball of international knots and explain them in a way that is enjoyable and informative.

He is Jim Wiggins, history instructor. Mr. Wiggins is highly respected by his peers and students for his in-depth knowledge of the history of the world and how it applies to today’s headlines.

He will give a informative program at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in our W. L. Nelson Multi-Purpose Room in the Redd/Watkins Career and Technical Education Center.

The program is free and open to the public. His talk is titled: “Travels and Studies on the Middle East: Istanbul 2010.”

His program is co-sponsored by the Mississippi Humanities Council, which will honor Jim with the Outstanding Humanities Scholar Award.

There will be a reception for Mr. Wiggins after the program.

Mr. Wiggins has a passion for helping students, and the community, understand the Middle East and how the people, politics, religions, conflicts and issues from ancient to modern times affects us and the world.

He is the facilitator for our current issues discussion group every Friday, a program he began shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Those who have attended the discussion groups have remarked how knowledgeable Mr. Wiggins is on those far-off places and people we read and hear about in the news.

So, please come to the program expecting to be enlightened and informed by Jim Wiggins in a style that is engaging and unforgettable.

Teresa Busby is vice president of the Natchez campus of Copiah-Lincoln Community College.