Author Dave Eggers awarded Amnesty International Chair at UGent

The American writer and publisher Dave Eggers, author of the best-selling novel The Circle, has been awarded the Amnesty International Chair at Ghent University (UGent). The chair is given to someone who has made exceptional efforts in the fight for human rights.

Eggers will give a lecture on 17 March at Vooruit cultural centre in Ghent. The following day, he will talk to professors and an audience of students.

Eggers (pictured) became known for A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, a semi-autobiographical novel about raising a little brother after the death of the parents. He achieved great success with The Circle in 2013, in which he highlighted the dangers of the internet, especially privacy risks. He also is the publisher of the influential literary magazine McSweeneys.

The award, however, is due to his work for social justice: In 2010 in San Francisco, Eggers established ScholarMatch, which matches youngsters with immigrant backgrounds with grant donors, and his initiative 826 National provides writing courses to children aged six to 18.  The profit from his books Zeitoun and What is the What also go directly to non-profit organisations related to the themes of the books: immigration and integration.

photo courtesy VRT