Internationally-Known Activist, Author to Speak at Tufts

John Prendergast, an internationally known human rights activist and best-selling author, will present a major lecture at Tufts University on Wednesday, April 17. The speech, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 8:00 p.m. at the University’s Cabot/ASEAN Auditorium.

Prendergast, who has worked for peace in Africa for more than 25 years, will speak about “The Politics of Genocide Response and Prevention: The Case of Darfur and South Sudan.” The event is presented by the Cummings/Hillel Program for Holocaust and Genocide Education.

Rachel Wiskind, a Tufts sophomore and intern for the Cummings/Hillel Program, said, “The Tufts community is very focused on active citizenship. We felt John Prendergast would provide an excellent example of what an individual can do to make a difference in the world.”

Seating for the lecture will be on a first come, first served basis. For those unable to attend, a video of the presentation will later be made available online. For more information, call Tufts Hillel at 617-627-3242.

Prendergast has extensive experience working through both government and nonprofit entities in support of human rights. He has served in the Clinton White House, State Department, and National Intelligence Council, and has worked for UNICEF, Human Rights Watch, and the International Crisis Group, among other organizations. In 2006, Prendergast co-founded the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity.

The 50-year-old Indianapolis native has co-authored 10 books, and has been profiled in numerous publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Men's Vogue, Time, Entertainment Weekly, GQ, Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times. In 2011, The Huffington Post named him a “Game Changer,” in recognition of his forward-thinking vision and leadership.

The Cummings/Hillel Program was established by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester to help teach the next generation to recognize and be active in confronting societal conditions that might lead to genocide.

Preceding Prendergast as speakers for the program’s annual major lecture were the late Eliezer Ayalon, a survivor of five different Nazi concentration camps; and Father Patrick Desbois, a Catholic priest on a mission to uncover mass graves of Jews killed in Eastern Europe during the Holocaust.

Having recently participated in a panel discussion with Prendergast, Desbois noted, “John is a very powerful speaker. The community will benefit greatly from his important message.”

The interfaith Cummings/Hillel program also offers panel discussions, film screenings, and service-learning experiences, including a yearly trip for 20 undergraduate students to the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda.

Bill Cummings graduated from Tufts University in 1958, and has been a generous supporter of his alma mater. Most notably, the Cummings committed $50 million to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in 2004. Learn more at www.CummingsFoundation.org.