Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of South Africa,
D.W. de Klerk, will visit Saint Louis University as the keynote
speaker in this year’s Atlas Week celebration.
As President of South Africa, de Klerk ended apartheid and led
his country’s peaceful transition to black majority rule.
He and Nelson Mandela both received the Nobel Peace Prize in
1993 for their role in the democratization of South Africa. De
Klerk will deliver this year’s signature symposium, “The South
Africa Model for Peace and Freedom: From Apartheid to Multicultural
Democracy” at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 1, in the Busch Student
Center Multipurpose Room. In addition, de Klerk will be presenting
a number of smaller lectures across campus throughout the week.
From his experiences, de Klerk now travels the world speaking
about the importance of communication and understanding diverse
communities for peaceful co-existence.
This year, the celebration centers on the theme “Global Cultures
in a Complex World.” The University community will celebrate
cultures throughout the week of March 29.
Cultures of all kinds–religious, intellectual, political,
economic and technological–compete, converge and interact more
rapidly and dramatically in the world of the new millennium.
“Atlas Week celebrates the many ways in which Saint Louis
University is not only a microcosm of our complex world but, more
importantly, a major Catholic and Jesuit university using its
awareness and understanding to contribute to a better life for all
people now and in the future,” said Michelle Lorenzini, Ph.D.,
coordinator of Atlas Week.
Atlas Week recognizes the international dimension of SLU’s
academic programs and celebrates the University’s role in global
education and service in light of SLU’s Jesuit mission and
heritage.
On Tuesday, March 30, from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m., there will be a
special guest lecture by noted peace activist Daniel Berrigan,
S.J., in the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium of Cook Hall. Berrigan will
present “Peace in a Post-9/11 World.”
A panel of noted Jesuits will
examine “Faith-Doing-Justice and Globalization: Are They
Compatible?” from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, in the
Anheuser-Busch Auditorium of Cook Hall.
The panel features Carl Starkloff, S.J., vice president for
mission and ministry at SLU; John Padberg, S.J., director of the
Institute of Jesuit Sources; William Ryan, S.J., founding director
of the Center of Concern and James Hug, S.J., current director of
the center. The center, based in Washington, D.C., closely monitors
globalization trends.
From a faith and justice viewpoint, the panelists will evaluate
the moral and religious significance of globalization.
Many other events are planned during Atlas Week. Throughout the
week, students are able to attend open houses, open classes,
special presentations, films, library exhibits and lectures.
Students may get involved in the week by attending all these
events, thus showing the SLU community’s active interest and
concern for the world in which they live, said Lorenzini.
The week-long celebration, sponsored by the provost’s office,
culminates on Friday, April 2, with the Billiken World Fair.
The parade of nations will kick off the event, which features
live cultural music and dancing, academic and informational booths,
carnival games and international cuisine. That evening, the
Graduate School will sponsor a Latin dance in the St. Louis Room of
the BSC. The dance will begin at 8 p.m. and go until midnight. Free
instruction is available at 7 p.m. The dance costs $2 to
attend.
Visit the Atlas Week Web site atlas.slu.edu for a complete list of
events, times and locations.
