Distinguished African Lecture Series
Dr. Ali A. Mazrui
In 1999, The Africa Program sponsored its inaugural Distinguished African Lecture Series that featured Dr. Ali A. Mazrui, Albert Schweitzer Professor in Humanities, Institute of Global Cultural Studies at Binghamton University. He spoke on the theme, “Africans and African Americans on the Eve of the 21st Century: Between Ancestry and Anticipation.”
Wole Soyinka (Nobel Laureate)
In 2002, as part of UTA’s Academic Excellence Week, The Africa Program and the Honors College co-sponsored the Second Distinguished Lecture that featured Nigerian playwright, poet, and social activist Wole Soyinka in the University’s Rosebud Theatre. Professor Soyinka spoke on, “The Politics of Art.”
Desmond Tutu (Nobel Laureate)
In 2004, South African archbishop and social activist Desmond Tutu lectured on “God has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time” (also the title of his latest book) in Texas Hall at UTA. Over 2,700 people attended the event including political, education, religious and business dignitaries from across the Dallas- Fort Worth Metroplex. The Distinguished Lecture by Archbishop Tutu was the third in the series sponsored by The Africa Program. It was jointly sponsored by the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, the Honors College, the College of Liberal Arts and the Department of History. The main theme of Archbishop Tutu’s lecture was that “we are all one family and God says in this family there are no outsiders.”
Business Series
Business Leadership Speakers Series
This series will bring to UTA distinguished national and foreign business leaders to speak on issues relating to enterpreneurship, technology transfer, and international trade, especially United States-Africa trade relations.
Business Forums
These events seek to bring together business executives form various Texas companies with African business owners and policy-makers to explore investment opportunities and discuss business challenges.
