The Author:
Now 82 years old, but determined to make the trip to BYU, which he has visited twice before and where he has felt a “kindred faith”. One of the best known African writers in the world. Also a prominent political figure in the government of Senegal (Minister of economic development and planning) for many years, former Director of UNICEF for Sub-Saharan Africa, and President of several NGO’s dealing with the protection and welfare of children, and with the preservation of West Africa’s cultural heritage.
Other Speakers:
• Adourahman Wabéri: African writer from Djibouti, author of numerous novels, essays, poems, articles, and reports. His first volume of short stories, Le Pays sans ombre (The Land without Shadows) received the Grand prix de la Nouvelle francophone in 1994. Cahier nomade (Nomad Notebook), another collection of stories, received the acclaimed Grand Prix Littéraire de l’Afrique noire in 1996. Wabéri lives in France but this year is a visiting professor at Claremont College, CA.
• Souleymane Bachir Diagne: Senegalese philosopher, named by Le Nouvel observateur one of the 50 thinkers of our time. Author of Léopold Sédar Senghor: l’art africain comme philosophie (2007), 100 mots pour dire l’Islam (2002) and other critical works. Currently teaches at Columbia University.
• Lydie Moudelino: author of L’Ecrivain antillais au miroir de sa littérature (1997), Littératures africaines: 1980-1990 (2003) and other critical works on Caribbean and African literature. She is a Professor of Romance Languages at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Mamadou Sy Tounkara: Director of l’Ecole Supérieure de Sciences Politiques et de Relations Internationales in Dakar; General Secretary of the Committee on the 50th Anniversary of l’Aventure ambiguë.
Cheikh Hamidou Kane's address on Thursday morning will be in French accompanied by translations shown on Power Point slides. Abdourahman Wabéri's presentation on Friday, as well as Cheikh Hamidou Kane's closing remarks, will also be in French. Click on the flier above to view the full schedule of events, including times and room numbers.
