Elijah Buol, OAM will deliver the 2024 Armidale Sanctuary Human Rights Lecture, Building unity through hope; creating a more compassionate society.
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The free event will be held at the Armidale Playhouse on May 30 at 6pm.
Sanctuary President Jeff Siegel said Elijah Buol's story was one of survival and success while overcoming enormous challenges.
"This is the 18th Human Rights Lecture sponsored by our refugee support group but the first time the speaker is a former refugee," Mr Siegel said.
The 2019 Australia Day Local Hero (Queensland), arrived in Australia in 2004 from South Sudan as an unaccompanied minor. His parents had both died in the conflict before he was nine, and he spent seven years in a refugee camp.
Today, Mr Buol spends much of his time helping young and disadvantaged community members integrate successfully into Australian society.
He has a Master of Law, Master of Justice in Intelligence, a Bachelor of Human Services and is currently undertaking a Juris Doctor at the Australian National University.
He has held senior and volunteer positions in the community and not-for-profit sectors and received many awards. Mr Buol was director of Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland, and his advocacy was instrumental in removing children under 18 from adult prisons in Queensland.
In February 2024, Mr Buol was appointed chief executive of Act for Peace because of his extensive experience in human services, advocacy, people management and not-for-profit leadership, all enhanced by his experience as a refugee. He will lead Act for Peace in its 75th year of empowering people displaced by conflict and disasters across the globe.
Mr Buol brings a deep understanding of the issues facing people experiencing displacement. He will talk about the importance of a compassionate response if Australia is to build a unified society where refugees can experience hope.
Sanctuary has a history of bringing inspiring prominent speakers to Armidale for its annual Human Rights Lecture. L
ast year's speaker was Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Donations at the lecture are welcome.
