IRRT (International Relations Round Table)

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The mission of the International Relations Round Table is to promote interest in library issues and librarianship worldwide; to help coordinate international activities within ALA, serving as a liaison between the International Relations Committee and those members of the Association interested in international relations; to develop programs and activities which further the international objectives of ALA; and to provide hospitality and information to visitors from abroad.



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Tomorrow: 32nd Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture with Mike Thomson on "Immortalizing the Voiceless"

  • 1.  Tomorrow: 32nd Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture with Mike Thomson on "Immortalizing the Voiceless"

    Posted Sep 20, 2022 07:24 AM

    Join us for the 32nd Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture | 21 September 2022.

    IMMORTALIZING THE VOICELESS32nd Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecture with MIKE THOMSONBBC World Affairs Correspondent, Presenter, and Author of Syria's Secret Library (2019)
    Moderated by Melita Garza, Associate Professor and Tom and June Netzel Sleeman Scholar in Business Journalism    Sept. 21, 2022: 3:30-5:00 pm CT (School of Information Sciences, Room 126, 501 E. Daniel Street, Champaign AND livestream) <register here>[To convert to your local time, use worldtimebuddy.com]

    This event celebrate Libraries for Peace (L4P) Day as the world community observes International Day of Peace on September 21st. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. The theme in 2022 is "End racism. Build peace." Join the UN to #FightRacism. These events are also part of Welcoming Week 2022 in Champaign County (IL, USA), a weeklong celebration of immigration that brings together neighbors from all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming inclusive places.

    FREE event.  Register here: https://go.illinois.edu/distinguishedlecture



    ABSTRACT:
    Enabling those affected by war and tyranny to tell their stories, giving voice to the voiceless, empowers us all. Not only is being heard cathartic for those who have lost so much, it also helps us all to truly engage with their plight, deepening our desire to help in whatever ways we can. We all know that hundreds of thousands of people are near starving in Yemen or being butchered in places like Syria and Ukraine, but knowing is rarely enough. We need to feel, to identify, to realise that this could be us or our loved ones. To be linked to the thread of humanity that connects us all, whatever our country, creed or culture.

    Yet until recently people's heartfelt stories told on the ephemeral media of radio and TV were soon forgotten, their often unretrievable words lost in the past. Now thanks to big advances in digital technology such precious voices live on online and in numerous digitised archives around the globe, helping to inspire as well as inform us. The BBC's veteran International Correspondent, Mike Thomson trawls through his own expansive news archives, to reveal some extraordinary voices from distant and often troubled places.

    BIOGRAPHY
    Mike Thomson is a multi-award-winning International correspondent for the BBC. Over the last couple of decades his work has taken him to many of the world's most troubled places. These have included Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea, Darfur, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, North Sinai, Colombia and the Central African Republic. He has undertaken acclaimed undercover investigative assignments in places such as Libya, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and covered some of the world's biggest news events. The latter range from the wars in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and the devastating Haiti earthquake to the election of several US presidents, the fall of Gaddafi and the death of Nelson Mandela.

    Mike's many awards have included: Radio Story of the Year for his documentary (latter book) Syria's Secret Library at the One World Media Awards (2017), News Journalist of the Year (2012) at the Sony Radio Academy Awards and War Correspondent of the Year (Radio/2008) at the international Prix Bayeux Calvados Awards in France. He has also won a record four Amnesty Media Awards, three of these in consecutive years (2008-2010), five Sony Radio Academy Awards and five Foreign Press Association Media Awards.

    In addition to his reporting for the BBC Mike is the author of the highly acclaimed book Syria's Secret Library, as well as Editor of The Raqqa Diaries: Escape from Islamic State. The latter book is about a young man's day-to-day experience of living under the terrifying Islamic State group, followed his highly-revered series of broadcasts of the same name across BBC television, radio and internet.

    Mike is based in London where he lives with his wife, Jane and two grown-up children. He was the 30th Annual Mortenson Distinguished Lecturer.

    CO-SPONSORED BY: Center for Global Studies through support from the US Department of Education's Title VI NRC Program | Department of Journalism | European Union Center | Mortenson Center for International Library Programs | School of Information Sciences | University of Illinois Library Urbana-Champaign

    MORE INFORMATION:Questions? Please email: mortenson@illinois.eduLecture: www.library.illinois.edu/mortenson/lectures/Libraries for Peace Day: librariesforpeace.org/l4pday/2022-2/ Mortenson Center for International Library Programs: www.library.illinois.edu/mortenson/



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    Clara Chu
    Director and Mortenson Distinguished Professor
    Mortenson Center, UIUC Library
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