Dr. Judea Pearl of The Daniel Pearl Foundation to deliver annual Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lectureship | Press Releases

Judea Pearl, Ph.D., father of the slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl and noted scholar, will deliver this year's Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture at Fairfield University. This annual lecture is presented under the auspices of the Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic studies in cooperation with the University's Open Visions Forum.

Dr. Pearl's talk, entitled "Seeking Common Ground: Dialogue Between Jews and Muslims," is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13 at 8 pm in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Tickets are $35, $30 for senior citizens. For advance tickets, call the Quick Center box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll-free at 1-877-ARTS-396.

A noted professor of computer science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) who has gained international recognition for his work on artificial intelligence, Dr. Pearl has earned worldwide acclaim for his work on behalf of The Daniel Pearl Foundation. Established in the wake of his son's 2002 murder in Pakistan by members of Al Qaeda, its mission is to carry on the legacy of Daniel's life by fostering peace and promoting cross-cultural understanding through lectures, responsible journalism, music, media interests and other educational efforts.

For the past two years, Dr. Pearl has traveled throughout the world, engaging in public dialogue with Akbar Ahmed, a leading Islamic scholar born in Pakistan. In the early fall of this year, Dr. Pearl and Akbar Ahmed became recipients of the newly established Purpose Prize for their ongoing efforts to promote Muslim-Jewish understanding.

Ellen M. Umansky, Ph.D., Director of Fairfield University's Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies of the College of Arts and Sciences, said thatDr. Pearl is a perfect choice to give the annual Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture. "Some who endure tragedy," she noted, "turn their backs on the world in anger, but not Dr. Pearl. He is determined to fulfill the mission of his son as he struggles for communication and understanding. I can't think of a better example of a life well-lived."