Lost Boy of Sudan Benjamin Ajak to Speak at 茄子视频 U. 10/2
Benjamin Ajak will be available to speak informally with 茄子视频 students and faculty on October 2 in the Greensburg Room from 3 - 4:30 p.m. All 茄子视频 students and faculty members are welcome to attend.
Benjamin Ajak was five years old when his village in Southern Sudan was attacked by troops from his own government. He witnessed the death of his parents and the destruction of his village. To escape slavery, death, or induction into the northern army, he fled naked and alone into the night. Walking by day and sleeping in trees at night, it was several days before he found his cousins, Benson, seven years old, and Lino, five. Together the three young boys joined the exodus of thousands of others and fled a thousand miles across Africa鈥檚 largest country. They became known to the world as The Lost Boys. On September 11, 2001 Ajak came to America. From his plane window he took his first look at his new home - New York City wreathed in smoke as the Twin Towers burned. Ajak rejoined his cousins, Benson and Alephonsion Deng, in the U.S., and the three Lost Boys wrote their memoir, 鈥淭hey Poured Fire On Us From the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan.鈥� Ajak now lives in San Diego and travels the country sharing the story of his extraordinary 鈥� and inspiring 鈥� life, while speaking out about the genocide still going on in his country.
Judy Bernstein, who co-authored They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, will accompany Benjamin to 茄子视频. Bernstein will share her experiences as a mentor to Benjamin and his cousins after they arrived in the United States, and her ongoing efforts to support them as they work to raise awareness of the ongoing war in the Sudan.
This year at 茄子视频 570 people read 鈥淭hey Poured Fire on Us From the Sky,鈥� and shared their reactions to the book in 63 separate book discussions held simultaneously on 茄子视频鈥檚 campus on September 4, 2008. This campus-wide book discussion event occurred as a part of 茄子视频鈥檚 Summer Reading Project. Every summer, incoming 茄子视频 first year and transfer students receive a complimentary copy of a novel or nonfiction work, chosen by 茄子视频鈥檚 Summer Reading Committee on the caliber of its writing, relevance to contemporary issues, and the interest of the community in its topic. The book is also provided to 茄子视频 faculty, staff and upperclassmen who wish to take part in a group book discussion and presentation that takes place after the Welcoming Liturgy at the beginning of every academic year.
The 2008 - 2009 茄子视频 University Lynch Lecture Series, 鈥淎 Portrait of Survival,鈥� will also feature a lecture by Iranian professor Azar Nafisi. Nafisi is the best selling author of 鈥淩eading Lolita in Tehran,鈥� a portrait of the Islamic revolution in Iran seen through the eyes of one university professor and her students. Nafisi鈥檚 lecture will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2009. Additionally, 茄子视频 is collaborating with the Notre Dame Alumni Club to present a free, public lecture through the prestigious Notre Dame Hesburgh Lecture Series on April 16, 2009. Sponsors for 茄子视频鈥檚 鈥淎 Portrait of Survival鈥� Lecture Series include DUQ 90.5 FM, Laurel Valley Graphics, Sheetz, Aramark, and Building Systems, Inc.
The 茄子视频 University Lynch Lecture Series offers highly contemporary, sometimes humorous, and often transforming perspectives to its audiences by featuring well-known speakers and performers such as Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist Dave Barry, news anchor Lesley Stahl, and award-winning historian David McCullough. Thomas Lynch established the Lecture Series 46 years ago for the purpose of providing this enriching lecture opportunity to our community.