Catholic Transcript Online

HARTFORD – The University of Hartford and NextGen Leaders will sponsor a talk by Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel. The event, the 2010 PeaceJam Northeast, will begin at 7 p.m. March 26 at the University of Hartford’s Lincoln Theater.

Mr. Esquivel was one of thousands of Desaparecidos, imprisoned and tortured for 14 months by the Argentine military junta during the "Dirty War." His life was saved by a letter-writing campaign, when Amnesty International declared him the 1978 International Political Prisoner of the Year. Her received the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in promoting fundamental human rights and true democracy for the peoples of Latin America. He continues this important work today, focusing on breaking the cycle of violence among those who live in extreme poverty, and campaigning for debt relief for lesser developed countries. Mr. Esquivel also has received the Pope John XXIII Peace Memorial and the Pacem in Terris Award.

The event is free.

Branford-based NextGen Leaders Inc. is the Northeast affiliate of the PeaceJam Foundation, which was nominated for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize.