The public will have a chance to learn about Ubuntu, a Southern African philosophy that provides a framework for engaged citizenship, at a free public lecture by Dr. Eliakim Sibanda on Friday, March 13.
Sibanda will explore home, belonging, and the Ubuntu commitment to civic duty during the 18th Igbo Educational Lecture Series (IELS) event hosted by the Umunna Igbo Cultural Association of Manitoba Inc. and UWinnipeg’s Global College.
Ubuntu is a way of expressing the interconnection of humanity. It is sometimes summed up by the expression ‘I am because we are.’
“It’s a way of living, how you treat people,” Sibanda explained.
Sibanda’s lecture will explore the challenges of embracing the Ubuntu philosophy of civic engagement – especially for individuals straddled between longing for the land of their roots, and the need to be engaged citizens in a new country.
“You try to strive for what you want to see your country look like, and that is our civic duty,” said Sibanda. “It doesn’t have to be in politics. We need to think about what we are doing in communities to contribute to the place where we are living. For me, this stems from a love for humanity.”
Dr. Sibanda is a globally acclaimed advocate for human rights, peace, and justice. He is a history professor, and associate chair of The University of Winnipeg/University of Manitoba Joint Master’s Degree program in Peace and Conflict Studies. He holds graduate degrees in education, history, and human rights.
About The Igbo Educational Lecture Series
The Igbo Educational Lecture Series began in 2006 under the vision of the Honourable Dr. Rey Pagtakhan, founding director of Global College and inaugural IELS lecturer, and the Honourable Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, UWinnipeg past President and fourth IELS lecturer.
Dr. Michael Eze, Department of Chemistry, has played a key role in organizing and convening the series since its inception, bringing together students, faculty, and community members to share important conversations on human rights, human security, and peace, while advocating for harmonious and meaningful coexistence. This year, Dr. Chigbo Arthur Anyaduba, Department of English, is working alongside Eze as co-convener.
“This series helps make people aware of the need to live in peace and harmony, to understand different perspectives, and create a new way of being in the world, the global village of our dreams,” said Eze.
Through events like this, UWinnipeg’s Global College fosters global citizenship and engagement in human rights, giving students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars, and community leaders an opportunity to interact and share diverse perspectives about global citizenship, human rights, and other issues affecting local and global communities. The series is co-presented by the Umunna (Igbo) Cultural Association of Manitoba Inc. The non-profit organization has fostered the security, growth, and development of Igbo people in Manitoba for more than 20 years, bringing people together to promote peace-building in a multicultural society.
Everyone is welcome to attend this free public lecture. The evening begins at 7:00 pm in UWinnipeg’s Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall. Dr. Sibanda’s lecture will be followed by a question and answer period, and light refreshments. The evening will also include a short cultural performance by the Umunna (Igbo) Cultural Association of Manitoba Inc.’s performance troupe.
For more information on the lecture series, email global.college@uwinnipeg.ca.
