Studium Generale | To Be Kind - Alette Smeulers in Conversation with Mohamedou Ould Slahi

How can we remain kind when the world is an unjust and brutal place? Mohamedou Ould Slahi will share his experiences from 14 years of imprisonment in the notorious Guantánamo Bay detention camp, after the U.S. government suspected him of links to the 9/11 attacks.

In his memoir Guantánamo Diary, Ould Slahi describes enduring severe torture and a mock execution. In the moments he faced death, he had only one regret: not having been kind enough – to his mother, to his friends and to strangers on the streets. Today, he advocates kindness as a way of life.

During this college tour, he will share how to remain hopeful and forgiving when human rights and democratic values are under pressure. Alette Smeulers will join the conversation to reflect on why human rights and judicial independence remain essential, especially in times of war.