A Nobel Prize laureate renowned for helping to end a civil war spoke at Seton Hall this month telling the audience that we are living in trying times and people should look for humanity in others.
“It’s a difficult time,” said Madam Leymah Gbowee. “People have more questions than answers.”
Gbowee, a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner, addressed the World Leaders Forum on Nov. 14 at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations in Bethany Hall.
Born in central Liberia, Gbowee is best known for leading a nonviolent movement that brought together Christian and Muslim women to play a pivotal role in ending Liberia’s devastating 14-year civil war in 2003.
She’s been a friend to the Seton Hall School of Diplomacy for many years and joined its Board of Advisors in 2022, serving as a visiting scholar. She’s the founder of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA. She has also hosted School of Diplomacy interns nearly every semester.
Her life story was told in the 2008 documentary “Pray the Devil Back to Hell.” And in 2011 she wrote her memoir, “Mighty Be Our Powers.”
Courtney Smith, who is dean of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, emceed the event and shared with the audience that they’ve had seven Nobel Peace Prize winners speak on campus. He said he was thrilled to have Gbowee back. She was last at Seton Hall in 2019, when one of her daughters graduated.
Katia Passerini, interim president of Seton Hall, welcomed the audience.
“I’m delighted and humbled to be here,” Passerini said. “We need to focus on educating more and more women. More women are graduating with very good scores. We find women in leadership positions, but we could have more and more. When women come together, they can change the world.”
Gbowee was introduced by Gail Thornton, Global Communications, Worldview Communications, School of Diplomacy and International Relations alumna and member of the School of Diplomacy Board of Advisors.
“It’s my honor and privilege to introduce Madam Leymah Gbowee,” Thornton said. “She continues to be an unstoppable force in the world.”
“I’m honored and happy to be here,” Gbowee said. “Another day the Lord made.”
Gbowee spoke passionately about the need for people to learn to live together.
“I tell people I have one side. The side I’m on is the side of humanity. We don’t talk anymore, we scream. If my view isn’t taken by you, you can go to hell. If you don’t give the answer I want to hear, we shut you out. We need to begin to cross imaginary borders and seek understanding of the way things are … You can’t go to a country as a peacekeeper and not interact with one person … It’s time for us to humanize the world we live in.”
Later, students and audience members were invited to line up for a Q&A session. When asked about how a person can achieve success, Gbowee responded, “A lot of activism. People need to be consistent. They need to push for anything to happen.”
When asked what students and future leaders could do to encourage peace, she said, “Peace starts with you.”
She also encouraged young people to “start down there and grow” and not to make money the first driver of what you do.
“Never second guess yourself,” Gbowee said. “If you want it, go for it. Don’t look for trends. Trendy never lasts. Stick to what you believe no matter how lonely it seems.”
In conclusion, Smith told Gbowee she is always welcome to come to future events. After the forum, several audience members gathered around her and took photos.
Nobel Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee Speaks at Seton Hall added by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta on
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