Wiesel brings message of hope

As the soft-spoken Elie Wiesel began his lecture in McCosh 50 last night, a woman in the audience yelled out, "Louder!"

"That is the story of my life," Wiesel responded wryly. "I speak and I'm not being heard."

Loud and clear, though, was the message that the writer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Boston University professor of humanities sought to convey in his 45-minute address to a capacity crowd Wednesday night: Hope is not only possible, but essential.

"I say to you that in spite of the fact that I have all the reasons in the world to give up on humanity, I won't," Wiesel said. "Despair is never an option."

A human rights advocate and novelist who achieved worldwide literary fame for telling of his personal experiences in the Holocaust in the memoir "Night," Wiesel spoke as part of the University's Public Lecture Series.

President Tilghman opened the event by praising Wiesel for his ability to find promise amid adversity and for using his voice to ensure that human tragedy is not met with indifference.

"[Wiesel] has used his moral authority to combat injustice and intolerance for almost 50 years," Tilghman said. Assuming the podium, Wiesel said he was surprised and humbled by the campus' overwhelming response to his appearance.

Scores of people were turned away from the lecture after McCosh 50 filled to capacity more than 15 minutes before Wiesel was scheduled to speak.

Many of those who couldn't see Wiesel in person watched his lecture via Simulcast in adjacent McCosh rooms.

Even 30 minutes before the event, the line of audience members stretched north from the auditorium, passing through the arch separating the chapel from Dickinson Hall and ending just short of the entrance to Firestone Library.

"When I saw the lines outside I thought, 'Maybe there's a movie,' " Wiesel said.

In his extemporaneous and often poignant speech, Wiesel challenged the audience to remember that human suffering is pervasive around the globe even today.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"Do you know that every minute, somewhere on this planet a child dies of violence, hunger or disease?" he said. "While we're spending 60 minutes in this hall, 60 children could have died."

"Whatever hurts one people must hurt others as well," he added. "Once you know that, possibilities are open to you. It's so easy."

Addressing a question from the audience about the war in Iraq, Wiesel said the United States should seek a more diplomatic approach. "My feeling is simply that we must bring back the international community; we cannot do it alone," he said. "Loneliness: It's good for poets, but not for statesmen."

One audience member, Matthew Isakowitz '09, said he wanted to hear Wiesel speak because of his own grandfather's experiences during the Holocaust.

"I was really impressed that he had hope after all he had gone through," Isakowitz said. "To remember it, but not allow it to define him and to work for hope in other areas of the world."

Wiesel ended his remarks by saying that tragedies of the past must not be forgotten, lest they be repeated.

"As long as we remember, memory will save us from repetition," he said.