Holocaust survivor to speak at Mount Olive College event April 9
By From staff reports
Published in News on April 3, 2013 1:46 PM
Abe Piasek was only 12 years old in 1939 when Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany. A year later, he was ripped from his family and taken to Radom, a forced labor camp. Piasek spent years in the labor camps of Auschwitz and then Weinhausen before the end of the war in 1945.
Since then he has been interviewed by Steven Spielberg for the award-winning film "Schindler's List," as well as by the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. Piasek lectures about his experience in schools all across the United States. He was awarded two President's Medals for volunteer service -- one by President George W. Bush and one by President Barack Obama.
On Tuesday, April 9, Piasek will speak at Southern Bank Auditorium as part of Mount Olive College's Holocaust Day of Remembrance.
The day's events will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., beginning in Rodgers Chapel with Dr. Michael Cavanagh speaking on the church's role in the Holocaust. At 11:30 a.m. final flags will be placed on the Commons -- representing the 11 million killed during the Holocaust. At noon, there will be a special "Holocaust Awareness" table in the Alumni Dining Room and a traditional Jewish dance by The Arts Company, directed by Leigh Williams. A student forum will then take place at 2 p.m. in Southern Bank Auditorium under the guidance of Dr. Cavanagh.
Piasek will speak at 3 p.m. in Southern Bank Auditorium.
The day will continue in Southern Bank Auditorium with a faculty forum at 4:15 p.m. featuring Mount Olive College professors Dr. Hollis Phelps, Dr. April Najjaj, Dr. Chris Skinner and Dr. Mike Cavanagh.
All of these events are free and open to the public.
And finally, at 7 p.m., Campus Activity Board and Campus Ministries will meet in the Alumni Dining Room to pack 10,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now. This is also open to the public, thought participants are asked to pre-register. For more information about any of these events, contact Campus Chaplain Carla Williamson at 919-658-7749 or cwilliamson@moc.edu.