Former Child Soldier, Juno-Nominated Peace Warrior Emmanuel Jal to Tour Alberta
March 9, 2015
EMMANUEL JAL, former child soldier and now peace warrior, is on his way to Edmonton for a two week tour of Alberta in partnership with the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights.
Emmanuel Jal was born into the life of a child solider on an unknown date in the early 1980s in the war-torn region of Southern Sudan. Through unbelievable struggles, Emmanuel managed to survive and go on to emerge as a recording artist, achieving worldwide acclaim for his unique style of hip hop with its message of peace and reconciliation born out of his personal experiences.
This past year, Jal co-starred with Reese Witherspoon in the Warner Brothers motion picture, “THE GOOD LIE” which tells the story about the journey of four young Sudanese refugees (based on The Lost Boys of Sudan). He has also graced the stages in many places including the United Nations’ as well as at Nelson Mandela’s Birthday. He is a young Bob Marley/Nelson Mandela; an artist with messages for peace and change. “I believe I survived for a reason... to tell my story... to touch lives,” says Emmanuel.
“We brought Emmanuel here in 2013 as part of the Ignite Change Now! Global Youth Assembly. His message was so powerful that we knew we needed to bring him back. He brings a challenging message of reconciliation and forgiveness. One that we need to hear in Canada,” says Renée Vaugeois, Executive Director of the John Humphrey Centre. “He has made Canada his home and as a refugee, he brings important perspectives to the conversation about Canadian identity and our role in building peace globally and locally.”
Emmanuel will be traveling across the province to deliver presentations and talk with youth as part of the This is Our Canada Tour, sponsored in part by the Government of Canada. The Tour is meant to challenge young people, ages 16-28 in Alberta, to reconsider our identity as Canadians as well as reflect on inclusion and acceptance in their community.
Tour Stops include:
March 17th in Rocky Mountain House
March 19th at McNally High School
March 21st at the University of Alberta
March 23rd in High Prairie
March 25th in Cold Lake
March 27th in Fort McMurray
To set up media interviews with Emmanuel, please contact:
780.453.2638
info@jhcentre.org