Sierra Leone Civil War survivor tells his story

Date of Event: September 26, 2012

Posted: September 14, 2012

GRANVILLE, Ohio— Ishmael Beah, storyteller, author and survivor of the Sierra Leone Civil War, will share his experience at Denison University at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26, in Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). Beah will share his experience and his memoir, “A Long Way Gone.” The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Invisible Children Chapter at Denison, the Department of Sociology/Anthropology and the University Programming Council. For more information, email upc@denison.edu or visit www.denison.edu.

After his family had been killed, Beah served as a child soldier at the age of thirteen. When he had served for more than two years, he was removed by UNICEF and placed in a rehabilitation home in the capital of Sierra Leone. After his rehabilitation, Beah won a competition to attend the United Nations conference on behalf of Sierra Leone and share how the war had affected children of his home country.

In 1998, Beah moved to New York City where he completed high school and went on to attend Oberlin College. His advocacy on behalf of children soldiers and how children worldwide are affected by war has allowed him to serve on a U.N. panel with Secretary General Kofi Annan and discuss the issues with dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton. Beah is a member of the Human Rights Watch Children’s Rights Division Committee.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Denison University, Granville — Lecture by Ishmael Beah, survivor of the Sierra Leone Civil War, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26, in Swasey Chapel (200 Chapel Drive). Free and open to the public. For more information email upc@denison.edu or visit www.denison.edu.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name: Ginny Sharkey
Position Title: Media Relations
Primary Email: sharkeyv@denison.edu
Business Phone: (740) 587-6266

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