Elie Wiesel, pictured here during his 2010 visit, will return to campus for an April visit.
Elie Wiesel, pictured here during his 2010 visit, will return to campus for an April visit.

Elie Wiesel visit to be highlighted by conversations with students, faculty

Elie Wiesel – winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, bestselling author, Holocaust survivor, and global leader in human rights advocacy – will return to Chapman University on April 15-22.  His annual one-week visit marks the second year of his five-year appointment as a Distinguished Presidential Fellow at the university.  While on campus, Wiesel will meet with students and faculty and be a guest speaker in various classes.

This year, Wiesel plans to present four “Conversations” during his visit.  The moderated discussions (which will be open only to the university community, not to the general public) will focus on themes central to his work and to the university community.   Scheduled topics include:

  • “Why Study?” (moderated by Daniele Struppa, Ph.D., Chapman University chancellor)
  •  “Why Write?” (moderated by English professor Patrick Fuery, Ph.D.)
  • “Why Be Just?” (moderated by Tom Campbell, dean of Chapman University School of Law)
  •  “Why Believe?” (moderated by Gail Stearns, Ph.D., dean of the Chapman University chapel)

Chapman University President James L. Doti, Ph.D., sees this as another exceptional learning experience for the Chapman community.  “Elie Wiesel challenges us to ask ourselves the big questions,” Dr. Doti said.  “He believes that as human beings, we are defined more by the questions we ask than by the answers we give.  I am especially excited that our students will be able to join with Professor Wiesel in a week of questions and conversations.  I know this week will have an impact on their years here at Chapman and on the way they look at the world.”

Elie Wiesel first visited Chapman University in April 2005, when he took part in dedication ceremonies for the university’s Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Memorial Library. His second visit came in April 2010, when he spoke to the university community and was guest of honor at a gala marking the 10th anniversary of the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education and the Stern Chair in Holocaust Education.  That same year, he accepted a five-year appointment as a Distinguished Presidential Fellow at Chapman University.  In that role, Wiesel is invited to visit Chapman annually to meet with students and offer his perspective on subjects ranging from Holocaust history to religion, languages, literature, law and music.

Wiesel received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for his work as a “messenger to mankind” of “peace, atonement and human dignity.”  He is the author of more than 50 books, including Night, a work based on his experiences in the Auschwitz, Buna and Buchenwald concentration camps.  He remains a faculty member at Boston University, where he teaches and lectures.

Dawn Bonker

10 comments

  • Hello,

    I am a counselor at Savanna High School in Anaheim, a group of 30 9th grade students have just recently finished reading “Night” and I was wondering if this opportunity to visit with Mr. Wiesel will be open to local school stduetns with a reservation.  This would be a fantastic experience for the students.  Looking forward to hearing from you.    Claudia Ruiz, Counselor, Savanna High

    ruiz_cl@auhsd.us–  714-220-4262 ext 210 or ext 213.

  • I have been integrating the reading of Night in my English II classes at Dominguez High School in Compton Unified School District since I first taught here in the US in 2002(I started my teaching career in the Philippines and used Elie’s Night as one of my required readings among my English major students), and I always use his speech “The Perils of Indifference” fro rhetorical and thematic  analysis in my AP English Language and Composition class. I am personally touched by the memoir and the themes embedded on it and I have been dreaming of meeting or, at least, seeing the author personally so that I can have a first-hand experience of hearing the inhumanity committed against the victims of the Holocaust and the indifference of people around the world despite their knowedge of the atrocities that were happening in many concentrations camps. In this regard, I would like to ask and to appeal to th eorganizers of this very momentous event if they could give me the opportunity to attend to one of his talks with the Chapman community. I had  the first encounter with the Chapman University very recently when I attended the Book Talk by Kevin Kumaishiro (Bad Teachers) after I actually finish reading his book The Seduction of Common Sense. I fell in love with the campus and the people on it and  I am planning to pursue my doctorate degree over there (I will be graduating from my master’s in Social and Cultural Analysis of Educ @ CSULB this coming May 24, 2012). It would be a great opportunity for me (and my students) if I will be given this special chance to listen to Elie Wiesel from the first university where I plan to pursue my doctorate degree. Please consider my request. Thank you very much for the anticipated most favorable response.

    Sincerely,

    John Tacapan
    john.tacapan@student.csulb.edu

  • What is the event happening on thursday night? and is it open to the public or for classes to take time out of their class session to come? 

  • the OC Register said today, that Elie Wiesel is speaking this Thursday night in Memorial Hall.  I have searched your web pages and can not find out more information and if there are still tickets available to the general public.  Please give me some direction.

    • Yes, Professor Wiesel is scheduled to participate in the university’s annual Evening of Holocaust Remembrance, but admission is by advance reservation and due to the popularity of this event is fully reserved at this time. We apologize for this inconvenience.

  • Does anyone know if Wiesel is speaking tomorrow night?  Where it is?  And if it is open to the public?  The other dates are posted on the website and tickets are sold out, but what about tomorrow (April 19)?
    Thanks.

  • Chelsea, the 7 p.m. Evening of Remembrance  at Memorial Hall is open to the public, but advance registration was required and due to the popularity of this event, all seats are reserved at this time. But there is a chance that some stand-by seating may be available just prior to the start time. Likewise, stand-by seating may be available at Friday’s “Conversation with Elie Wiesel” at 11 a.m.  in the Fish Interfaith Center.

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