Atlas Week 2022 Kicks Off Sunday
03/31/2022
Saint Louis University's Atlas Program brings together members of the University community to focus on the global challenges that confront us in the 21st century.
The theme of 2022's Atlas Week will be "From the Ashes: Rebuilding the Global Scene in the World of COVID-19" and will focus on global issues as they pertain to creating a more equitable global society following the multiple disparities made evident across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Atlas Program encourages all SLU community members to participate in Atlas Week by attending the various events organized by members of the SLU community. The full Atlas Week calendar can be found online or within the Atlas Passport booklet which can be picked up in the Busch Student Center at the Atlas table throughout Atlas Week.
The 22nd Annual Sam and Marilyn Fox Atlas Week begins with the Atlas Kick-Off Ceremony on Sunday, April 3, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Center for Global Citizenship. The event will feature cultural food, games, performances and prizes.
Former UN High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein will be the keynote speaker for the Atlas Week Signature Symposium. The Atlas Signature Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Busch Student Center Wool Ballroom. the event also will be on Zoom. Registration is required to attend the Signature Symposium.
Atlas Week will wrap up with Atlas Parade of Nations/ Billiken World Festival on Friday and the Atlas World Cup tournamenton Saturday.
Follow the Atlas Program on social media @slu_atlas for updates on all events.
About the Atlas Program
The Atlas Program launched in spring of 2001 as a way to recognize the international dimension of Saint Louis University's academic programs and to celebrate SLU's role in international education and service in light of our Jesuit tradition. The primary goal of the Atlas Program is to increase awareness of the global issues that confront us today in an effort not only to promote discussion, but to inspire and inform action. It focuses on what we as global citizens can do to contribute to a better life for all people now and in the future.
About Atlas Week
The initiative was named Atlas Week for the same reasons that travelers, leaders and historians throughout the centuries have commonly used an atlas. This instrument allows its users to discern where they have been, discover where they are and decide where they are headed. The Atlas logo features a compass point to emphasize the global vision of Saint Louis University.
During Atlas Week, students, faculty and staff from across the University organize events which highlight the international dimensions of their programs. The Parade of Nations kicks off the event, which also features live cultural music and dance, academic and informational booths, carnival games and international cuisine. The Signature Symposium, presented by internationally renowned speakers who have dedicated their lives to issues of political and social justice, is traditionally held on the Thursday of the week. The week-long celebration culminates on Friday with the Billiken World Festival.
The events held during week are designed to achieve five main goals:
- To educate our students and increase their awareness of issues of global injustice.
- To inspire and inform student activism regarding issues of global injustice.
- To build a community of scholars at SLU whose teaching and research focuses on global challenges by forging interdisciplinary ties and collaboration across the University.
- To foster faculty and student cooperation in the area of international service.
- To promote cross-cultural understanding.