Credit: Courtesy of Creative Artists Agency

Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, will describe some of his wartime experiences on October 28 as part of Rutgers University’s yearlong commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Ishmael Beah left his home in Sierra Leone when dueling political and tribal groups brought the war to his quiet village, forcing him to become a child soldier. Beah, author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, will describe some of his wartime experiences on October 28 as part of Rutgers University’s yearlong commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) intervened eventually, removing him from the army when he was a teenager and taking him to a rehabilitation center. Beah was then brought to the United States, where he was taken in by a foster mother, attended high school, and graduated from Oberlin College. He will be speaking at the Student Center on College Avenue at 7 p.m.

“Ishmael Beah’s story symbolizes the struggles for dignity, security, and fundamental freedoms, the very human rights that are at the core of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said Joanna Regulska, dean of international programs and coordinator of Rutgers’ anniversary commemoration.

The declaration, endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations right after World War II, sets a standard of basic human rights for national and international recognition and observance. Originally signed by 92 countries, it is said to be the most translated document in the world.

Rutgers’ yearlong program brings scholars, politicians, activists, and artists from inside and outside the Rutgers community together to explore, discuss, and learn. “The [commemoration of the] declaration provides a lens to reflect on the very notion of rights, and the tensions between intention and implementation,” said Regulska.  “We want to examine the many forms of intolerance, the effects of economic reforms and health crises, and the ability of communities everywhere to exercise their right to live in a secure and healthy environment against the standards set by the original declaration. We want to expand student understanding of the principles contained in the declaration and provide them with opportunities to engage in how these principles are actually implemented in everyday life.”

Performances, art exhibits, movies, and lectures on topics ranging from racism to global health to the environment provide entry points to this year of reflection. United Nations independent investigators will present findings on global health, racism, and climate change. Other highlights include programs by the Center for Study of Genocide and Human Rights; a talk by Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts on a case study of Buglarian Nurses accused of deliberately spreading HIV; and Byrne Family First-year Seminars for first-year students that focus on immigration, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, world agriculture, and human displacement. The Center for European Studies is holding a series of events celebrating the 100th Anniversary of women’s right to vote in Finland, including movies and an art exhibit.

The School of Management and Labor Relations is presenting a series of seminars that focus on worker rights and labor issues. “Our seminars in the series highlight one of the most basic human rights: the right to a good job that conforms to basic labor standards and provides a living wage both in the U.S. and abroad,” said David Finegold, dean of Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations. “We hope this series will help build a community across Rutgers of scholars and students interested in worker issues.”

Community building works in many ways. When Sierra Leonian President Koroma came to the campus in September, the local Sierra Leonean diaspora and the Rutgers community worked together, a relationship that is expected to grow.

Many faculty throughout the university are including human rights themes in their classes, and students will be exposed to the subject matter through a media campaign of posters, RU-tv segments, and word-of-mouth. “If the Rutgers community takes even a moment to reflect on the meaning of human rights, the commemoration will serve its purpose,” Regulska said.