News
AUK President, Dr. Hamzah: The successful turnout for the Al-Multaqa prize solidifies Kuwait's standing amongst other prestigious Arabic competitions.
AUK Vice President, Amal Al-Binali: Our efforts are dedicated to the community, and our next step is to translate the winning collection for other readers and publishers.
AUK announced that it has received 189 collections of short stories and named the jurors for the 2015-2016 Al-Multaqa Prize for Arabic Short Stories. The Prize was launched in December 2015 by AUK, in partnership with the Cultural Circle's Founder and Manager, Mr. Taleb Al-Rifae. The number of submissions were received during a 3-month submission window (from 1 January, 2016, until 31 March, 2016) from published authors of Arabic short stories from 15 different countries.
AUK President, Dr. Nizar Hamzah, was impressed by the enthusiasm in which the Prize received. "The overwhelming response to the Prize was a source of pride and happiness for us given the significance of solidifying Kuwait's position amongst other prestigious Arabic competitions. The positive response is also a testament to the liveliness of the Arabic creative literary community which deserves to be further encouraged by a distinguished prize. The Prize draws our attention to the thirst that Arabic writers have for a competition that acknowledges the significance of their creative work, in addition to the confidence that Arabic writers and publishers have bestowed on the Prize during its first round, which poses great pride and appreciation," he said.
AUK's Vice President and Prize Secretary, Ms. Amal Al-Binali, explained that the Prize began accepting submissions from 1 January, 2016, until 31 March, 2016 via AUK's website.
Al-Binali added that during the three month submission period, AUK has received an overwhelming number of Arabic short stories; 189. "The number of submissions received indicates the scope to which the Prize aspired for in the genre of Arabic short stories, with authors embracing its unique impact on the Arabic literary world. By translating the winning collection to English, and possibly other languages, there will be further appreciation for Arabic literature throughout the world," she said.
Al-Binali reveals the submission statistics as follows:
- Total Short Story Collections: 189
- Collections Submitted by Authors: 170
- Collections Submitted by Publishers: 19
- Submissions by Female Authors: 59
- Submissions by Male Authors: 130
Al-Binali also added that submissions have been received from 15 countries. The following countries are listed by highest number of submissions received:
- Egypt (84)
- Morocco (14)
- Syria (13)
- Saudi Arabia (11)
- Iraq (10)
- Jordan (9)
- Yemen (9)
- Algeria (7)
- Sudan (7)
- Palestine (6)
- Lebanon (6)
- Oman (4)
- Tunis (3)
- Kuwait (3)
- Libya (3)
Al-Binali expressed that the enthusiasm to participate was most evident among Egyptian authors, whose submissions make 44% of total submissions. She also noted that 31.2% of authors were female, which indicates a significant presence and activeness of female writers in the Arab world, where they play a crucial part in Arabic literature.
Professor Dr. Hamzah affirmed that the American University of Kuwait is dedicated to its partnership with the Cultural Circle and continues to work with the Cultural Circle Founder and author Dr. Al-Rifae to coordinate with the Prize Board of Trustees and the Advisory Council publish the names of those who submitted short stories for the first round of the competition on the Al-Multaqa page found on the AUK website: www.auk.edu.kw.
Professor Dr. Hamzah confirmed that the American University of Kuwait and the Cultural Circle, along with the cooperation of the Prize Board of Trustees and the Advisory Council, have completed the main task of selecting jurors who possess literary knowledge and experience.
The jury members are:
- Author, Ahmed Al-Madeeni (Head of Jury), Morocco
- Author, Ezzat Al-Qamhawy (Jury Member), Egypt
- Author, Dr. Louay Hamzah (Jury Member), Iraq
- Author, Dr. Fadya Al-Faqeer (Jury Member), Jordan
- Critic, Dr. Ali Ajail Al-Anezi (Jury Member), Kuwait
Al-Binali explained that the agreement to release the names of the jurors and the submitters at the same time offers a level of transparency and communication between the Prize and the community, adding that readers across the Arab world have a right to know who the jury members are and the authors who have submitted their work.
Al-Binali affirms that the first short list will contain 10 short story collections will be announced in the beginning of October, 2016, while the second short list will contain of 5 short story collections and will be announced at the beginning of November, 2016. The competition winner will be announced in December, 2016, during a ceremony organized by AUK where the winner will receive the cash prize of $20,000, in addition to a certificate of appreciation, and the translation of the winning short stories to English.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 14th April 2016
The International Relations Department at AUK invited Ambassador Cristian Diaconescu, member of the UN CTBTO Eminent Group, to give a lecture entitled "The European Perspective of Global Security" at AUK, moderated by Dr. Roman Kulchitsky, Department Chair, and Assistant Professor, of the Public Policy & International Relations.
In this lecture, Ambassador Diaconescu spoke about the developmental aspects of the European political establishments and discussed how the European Union and NATO are targeting the security guarantee for the region and are aiming for a stronger global security. He also spoke about the European crises, including the financial crisis in Greece and the great depression in Europe in the 1930s.
Ambassador Diaconescu thanked AUK for organizing this lecture, and expressed that he was impressed by the levels of discussions the talk generated during the Q & A session.
Ambassador Cristian Diaconescu is a Romanian politician, diplomat and jurist. He served as the Chief of Staff and Advisor to the former President of Romania, Train Basescu, and Romania's Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2012, and from 2008 to 2009. Ambassador Diaconescu sat in the Romania Senate from 2004-2012, serving as Minister of Justice in 2004. Prior to this, he was Secretary of State for Bilateral Affairs at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. He represented Romania as Deputy Head of the Mission to the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. As of 2013, Ambassador Diaconescu is currently a member of the UN CTBTO Eminent Group.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 12th April 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
Students from the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department (ECE) at AUK won first place among universities in Kuwait during the 6th Gulf Programming Contest (GPC). The 2016 Gulf Programming Contest was hosted by the Gulf University for Science & Technology (GUST) this year and was open to students from universities across the GCC. GPC is designed to test students' skills in the areas of problem solving, programming, analysis, and communication.
This year saw 29 teams, coming from Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, participate in the contest. Teams were presented with problems to solve and were required to submit their solutions to a panel of judges for evaluation.
Hala Al-Faisal, Omar Raad, and Zeinab Mohammed are students of Electrical & Computer Engineering at AUK. They represented AUK during the contest and managed to earn the 3rd place position overall, and 1st position from among the 18 participating teams from Kuwait. The team was formed by Dr. Mounib Khanafer, Assistant Professor of Computer & Electrical Engineering, who coordinated with its members throughout the contest.
Dr. Issam Damaj, Associate Professor of Computer Engineering, and Chairperson of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at AUK, congratulated the students on their performance. "I would like to congratulate the students for such an outstanding achievement. I'm confident that our engineering students will continue to compete and win in Kuwait and abroad. The engineering programs at AUK are first-class and equipped with all the means to enable quality education."
AUK's Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Rawda Awwad, is proud of her student's exceptional performance and the faculty's dedication to student success. "Our student's accomplishments measure in part our institution's commitment to education, and provide the public a glimpse into what occurs in our classrooms and on campus. Our commitment is to serve our community and the region by remaining competitive. Our students have certainly risen to that challenge."
Images from the Event
Delegates from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) visited the CCE at AUK to review the progress of the Intensive Arabic Language Program, a language training course created for the U.S. State Department employees in Kuwait. Dr. David Red, Director of Near East, Central & South Asian Languages - FSI Washington - USA, and Mr. Hani Alam, Arabic Regional Language Training Coordinator - U.S. Embassy Rabat - Morocco, met with Mrs. Buthaina Al-Khubaizi, Director of CCE and AUK President, Professor Nizar Hamzeh.
CCE began collaborating with FSI in 2012 to create and offer the program, which is customized to enhance their professional and practical communication, and aims to develop the participants' Arabic language proficiency. The course content includes one-on-one conversations with the instructor, field trips, and presentations, among other dynamic and interactive lessons.
"We are pleased to continue offering this intensive program to FSI participants. The training methodology used in the Program offers a highly customized approach, with course content tailored to individual participants. This year, we have a number of participants enrolled in the Program and we are expected to complete the course requirements by June 2016," said Mrs. Al Khubaizi
About CCE:
CCE was established in 2004 and, in addition to offering language courses in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, offers an array of courses and workshops aimed to assist in the personal and professional development of individuals and groups within the public and private sectors. Course offerings are specifically tailored to meet the needs of their clients, whether they are independent groups or corporations.
About FSI:
The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is the Federal Government's primary training institution for officers and support personnel of the U.S. foreign affairs community, preparing American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests overseas and in Washington. At the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center, the FSI provides more than 800 courses including some 70 foreign languages-to more than 130,000 enrollees a year from the State Department and more than 40 other government agencies and the military service branches.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 6th April 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
In an effort to further enrich the undergraduate experience for its students, the American University of Kuwait (AUK) has introduced a summer scholarship program at The George Washington University (GW) in Washington, DC, USA. This comes as part of the AUK Study Abroad Summer Programs Scholarship initiative, which enables students who are eligible to earn up to six credits from GW towards their academic requirements. AUK students will also experience campus life at GW and engage with the community, academically and socially, over the course of the summer.
This scholarship program will cover airfare, accommodation, and health insurance for the selected students, as well as the tuition and fees for up to six credits. To enroll in the program, the applicants must meet AUK eligibility requirements for Study Abroad, and the GW admissions criteria, including a valid TOEFL or IELTS score.
"Study Abroad experiences are a unique way to enhance a student's undergraduate education and professional career preparation. The cultural understanding, characteristics, and skill sets of students who have spent a significant period abroad help them stand out in today's marketplace. The AUK Study Abroad Summer Programs Scholarship for student going to GW is a fantastic opportunity for our students to continue their education at a distinguished institution, while exploring the heritage and culture of the US capital," said Mr. Tadd Kruse, the Coordinator of Study Abroad & Student Exchange.
AUK and GW signed an agreement in Fall 2015 to establish a program for undergraduate student exchange and collaboration. Participation in the International Summer Program at GW, and the AUK Study Abroad Summer Programs Scholarship initiative, are further illustrations of AUK's commitment to provide international experiences for students.
Other AUK student exchange programs include the Dartmouth-AUK Internship Program, which was developed as part of the Dartmouth-AUK Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed in September 2003.
The Undergraduate Student Exchange Programs at AUK are administered through the Coordinator of Study Abroad & Student Exchange in the Office of the President. For further details on eligibility/admission requirements, selection processes, and deadlines visit the AUK website at: www.auk.edu.kw/academics/ip_study_abroad.jsp
About The George Washington University:
The George Washington University was created in 1821 through an Act of Congress, fulfilling George Washington's vision of an institution in the nation's capital dedicated to educating and preparing future leaders. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia with more than 26,000 students-from all 50 states, the District and 130 countries. GW offers a rich range of disciplines: from forensic science and creative writing to international affairs and computer engineering, as well as medicine, public health, the law and public policy.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 6th April 2016
To commemorate the occasion of Kuwait's national and liberation days, the American University of Kuwait (AUK), in partnership with Embassy of the United States of America in Kuwait, invited H.E Former US Ambassador to Kuwait, Mr. Edward Gnehm, Jr., to recount his experiences during and after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 in a lecture entitled "Reflections on the Invasion and Liberation of Kuwait: A Talk with Former Ambassador to Kuwait Edward Gnehm.". The talk was moderated by the AUK President, Professor Nizar Hamzeh, who opened the talk saying, "while the national independence of Kuwait in 1961 ushered a new era of hopes and aspirations for building an independent sovereign nation state with all the rights, duties and privileges under customary and conventional international law, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990 and its subsequent liberation on February 26, 1991 marked the most significant turning point not only in the country's modern history but also in the relations between states in the Gulf region. It is in this context that our distinguished guest Ambassador Edward Gnehm will share with us his reflections on the invasion and liberation of Kuwait."
In his talk Ambassador Gnehm spoke of the days that led up to the invasion of Kuwait, his interaction with Kuwaitis in Washington, DC, USA, during the Iraqi occupation, and where Kuwait is now - 25 years following the liberation.
Ambassador Gnehm recalled the days prior to the invasion, during which he was still in Washington. There was an ongoing debate at the time regarding whether or not the former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, was going to proceed with the invasion of Kuwait. According to Ambassador Gnehm, most interpretations of the dialogue taking place at that time suggested the possibility of Iraq occupying the border regions of Kuwait without advancing to the city. When it became clear that Hussein intended to invade Kuwait in its entirety, Ambassador Gnehm recalled that Former US President George Bush Sr. asserted during a meeting with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who was Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, that he will do everything in his power to restore Kuwait to its government and people. It was then, as HH Sheikh Sabah was leaving the meeting with the American President, that Ambassador Gnehm remembered the President turning towards him and instructed him to go to Kuwait immediately.
Ambassador Gnehm also recalled instances in which he empathized with the Kuwaitis who were abroad. He shared a memory he had of a short conversation he had with a young Kuwaiti boy during a press conference in Abu Dhabi, in which the boy presented the Ambassador with a small gift; a wooden door. The boy explained that the door reminded him of his grandmother's house in Kuwait and expressed that he wished to return home to Kuwait again and see his grandmother. Ambassador Gnehm assured the boy back then that he will go back to Kuwait and reunite with his loved ones. "I felt from the heart, from the Kuwaitis that I met, the tragedy, the fear, concern, and anxiety [they were experiencing]," he said.
In 2016, 25 years after its liberation, Ambassador Gnehm returned to Kuwait and met with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who has since their last meeting become the Amir of Kuwait. Ambassador Gnehm compared Kuwait from when he was last there, to what it has become now. "I run past buildings that I knew were destroyed, or places where bad things had happened. Of course, today it's clean and it's nice, and the country has really come a long way in terms of its development," he said. On meeting with HH the Amir of Kuwait, he noted that the country has made significant advances in the 10 years under HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, explaining that the country has not only been developed and has a strong economy, but the role Kuwait now plays, globally and in the region, is remarkable.
Members of the audience had the opportunity to contribute to the event by commenting on the lecture and asking Ambassador Gnehm questions during a Q & A session following the talk. During that session, an audience member asked if Kuwait was at risk of being invaded again by Iraq. "The boundary between Kuwait and Iraq has been demarcated by the United Nations, it's the only boundary on the planet Earth, that is guaranteed by chapter 7 resolution of the Security Council, no other border has that kind of international commitment. I don't think it will happen again," answered Ambassador Gnehm.
Ambassador Edward "Skip" Gnehm had a distinguished 36-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service. He served as Ambassador to Kuwait shortly after the liberation, from 1991 to 1994, and was Director of the State Department's Kuwait Task Force. Before that, he had worked extensively in the Middle East. He ran the U.S. Interests Section in Damascus during then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy between Israel and Syria. As a former Deputy Assistant Secretary at both the State and Defense Departments, he was the Pentagon's point person on the five-man interagency coordinating committee during the 1987-88 deployment of U.S. naval forces in the Gulf. After his assignment to Kuwait, Excellency Gnehm served as Ambassador to Australia from 2000 to 2001 and Ambassador to Jordan from 2001 to 2004. He joined the faculty of the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University in August 2004 as a visiting professor and was appointed to his present position as Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs in August 2006.
Ambassador Gnehm has received two international decorations: Kuwait Decoration Medallion Special Class from His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Shaikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the Order of Istiqlal First Class from His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 9th March 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The Environmental Public Authority (EPA) is visiting AUK as part of a 3-day campaign entitled 'Teswa Na7meha', a campaign designed to raise the community's awareness of pressing environmental conditions in Kuwait and offers practical solutions for conserving the environment. The campaign also aims to promote the environmental conservation law number 99 that has been passed in 2014 and amended in 2015, and its penalties.
Representatives of EPA have set up a booth on the University's campus where they are available to highlight the cause and answer questions asked by members of the AUK community. On 8 March, 2016 from 2 to 4pm, the Officers of the Kuwait Environmental Police (KEP) will join them to support the campaign.
Promoting such causes goes in line with AUK's commitment towards the betterment of Kuwait. AUK supports EPA's mission of implementing environmental change and supports the enforcement of the two laws on those who violate them.
The 'Teswa Na7meha' campaign will run in Kuwait until September, 2016.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 8th March 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The Dean of the College of Business & Economics at AUK, Professor Jin Wang and Dr. Ali Aljamal, Chair of the Department of Economics, met with Mr. Hamad Abdulmohsen Al-Marzouq, Chairman of Kuwait Finance House (KFH), in January to explore possible venues for collaboration. The meeting was arranged following a lecture by Chairman Al-Marzouq at AUK last October entitled "Islamic Banks vs. Conventional Banks Differences and Similarities"."
During his lecture, Mr. Al-Marzouq highlighted principles of the Islamic financial system, some key differences between Islamic banks and conventional financial and banking systems in terms of philosophy, mission and risk treatment.He also discussed recent trends in terms of growth and development of Islamic banking and financing. President Nizar Hamzeh received the Chairman and attended the lecture along with crowds of faculty, students and members of the general public.
KFH, as a global leader in Islamic banking and finance, plays an important role not only in the Kuwaiti economy, but the regions as well. This event bridges the divide and provides AUK faculty and students with opportunities to remain abreast in this vital sector in Kuwait and the Gulf and offers venues for collaboration in teaching, research, and experiential learning programs. This comes in line with AUK's commitment to obtaining prestigious programmatic accreditations, such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation.
"The lecture by the KFH Chairman in October and our subsequent meeting with him in January provide opportunities for future conversations and engagement with the leaders in the Islamic banking sector, which will enrich and strengthen our portfolios for earning AACSB accreditation as AACSB accreditation demands evidence of continuous quality improvement in three vital areas: engagement, innovation, and impact," said Dean Wang.
"We are on the lookout for opportunities to establish ties and relationship with the very business community we serve. This outward orientation pays dividends on all levels. It enables us to develop academic programs responsive to the needs of the job market, advances our research and scholarship, and enriches learning experiences of our students," said Dr. Aljamal.
Following the inaugural presentationof Mr. Al-Marzouq, KFH offered to hold a "Sukuk Seminar" for students and AUK stakeholders in April, as part of their corporate social responsibility. The seminar, which is free of chargeand open to all AUK students, is on practical applications of Sukuk in the Financial Markets by Mr. Mohammad Al-Duwailah, Chief Dealer of Capital Markets at Kuwait Finance House. The "Sukuk Seminar" will take place on 13 April 2016 in AUK's Multipurpose Room. It will be hosted by the Center for Continuing Education in collaboration with the College of Business & Economics and will be held during AUK Career Week.
Events such as these foster interaction between CBE and students on one hand and the business world and its leaders on the other. It is part of CBEâsmission to establish closer ties and meaningful relationships with industry leaders in order to remain informed of their needs promote scholarship and engage in research that can pay dividends to our community and its stakeholders.
About KFH
Kuwait Finance House (KFH) is considered a pioneer in the banking phenomenon known as Islamic Finance or Shari'a Compliant Banking. KFH is the first Islamic bank established in 1977 in the State of Kuwait and today it's one of the foremost Islamic financial institutions in the world.
KFH has steadily managed to expand its business and achievements to lead the Islamic banking industry and become a pioneer financial establishment, not only in the Islamic banking industry, but also in the banking sector as a whole, besides being one of the biggest lenders in both the local and regional markets.
KFH provides a wide range of banking Shari'a compliant products and services, covering real estate, trade finance, investment portfolios, commercial, retail and corporate banking and is available in Kuwait, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia, and Germany.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 10th March 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The International Relations Club (IRC) at AUK organized its 3rd Annual Liberation Village Exposium last week in celebration of Kuwait's National and Liberation days. IRC hosted a number of speakers to participate in this 3-day event who shared their experiences and memories of the invasion and narrated their firsthand accounts of those days.
The 3rd Liberation Village Exposium included a variety of attractions and activities for the attendees, such as a gallery that showcased the Free Kuwait Campaign documentary and the iconic "Free Kuwait" jerseys, and lectures about the invasion.
The Free Kuwait gallery is a documentary that features selective events, mainly in London, UK, that took place during the period of the occupation. The documentary included more than 100 chronological pictures, photographed by Adel Al-Yousefi, a photographer for the Free Kuwait Campaign in London. The pictures featured young Kuwaitis who were in London during the time of invasion and the initiatives they were involved in, leading to the liberation of Kuwait.
The main talk on the first day was a diwaniya-style debate entitled "1990-91: Is it Iraqi or Saddam Invasion?", moderated by Dr. George Irani, Associate Professor of International Relations at AUK, and Shahad Al Matrouk, Al Rai TV presenter. Throughout the informal debate, the attendees participated in the discussions and expressed their opinions. Dr. Irani provided an educational perspective after listening to all the opinions, and advised the attendees to forget about the past and move forward, especially the new generation.
The second day of the Liberation Village Exposium featured a lecture entitled "Free Kuwait Movement", hosted four people who were involved in the campaign; Najla Al-Naqi, Lawyer of the State; Othman Al-Khuder, Head of the Psychology Department in Kuwait University; Adel Al-Yousefi, Photographer and Businessman; and Sheikha Rabaa Al-Sabah. They talked about their personal experiences in the Free Kuwait Campaign, and what they witnessed from those who were abroad during the invasion.
"Saher Al-Lail" is a socio-political TV drama that depicted the daily lives of Kuwaitis during the Iraqi invasion period. IRC invited Mohammed Al-Shammari (Director), Fahad Al-Aliwa (Writer), and Abdullah Boushehri (Actor) to give a talk about creating and producing the show.
The speakers talked about the production of Sahar Al-Lail series and the amount of research they had to conduct during the process. They shared with the audience members' memories about their journey and what they had gone through to depict the invasion accurately. According to the crew, it was challenging to create the roles for men, women, and children that highlighted each one's role during the invasion.
Danah Al Bader, IRC President, expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in this event and contributed to its success. "The Free Kuwait Gallery was really incredible. Everyone loved the gallery, they thought it was a great opportunity to see these pictures and pay tribute to those Kuwaitis and their foreign supporters who worked relentlessly to free Kuwait" she said. Noura Al-Khalifa, IRC Secretary, added "The Free Kuwait Gallery was the new addition in this event that we haven't done it before. We wanted to make it [our event] more special, so we incorporated the idea of media and arts" she said.
The Liberation Village Exposium was sponsored by the Kuwait Airways (Main Sponsor), Ali Alghanim and Sons Automotive (Gold Sponsor), StudenTalk (Media Partners) and Prints Advertising (Strategic Partners).
The International Relations Club (IRC) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) is a unique student organization that welcomes students from all majors. The IRC mission and many of its activities deal with global politics, and are directly linked to the International Relations academic program at AUK. The club works for the benefit of the students and supports their learning program process by providing hands-on experience through the different club activities and initiatives.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 03 March 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) was invited by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Black Caucus of NCTE to hold its second African-American read-in. The event was sponsored by the English Department and featured an overview of Black History Month, its history and development, delivered by Dr. Inas Mahfouz, Assistant Professor of English. Attending students and professors read poems and speeches written by famous African American figures such as Sojourner Truth, Phillis Wheatley, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou.
Black History Month is dedicated to celebrate the accomplishments of African-Americans whose contributions have influenced society in a positive way. Every year, many American institutions and professional organizations around the world seize the opportunity to promote literacy as a significant part of Black History Month.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd May 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
