SHERMAN, TEXAS—Rais Bhuiyan, president and founder of the nonprofit organization World without Hate, will speak on the importance of forgiveness in the face of hatred at Austin College Thursday, April 9, at 11 a.m. in Hoxie Thompson Auditorium of Sherman Hall. A survivor of a hate crime, Bhuiyan has actively promoted peace and forgiveness since the attack.
Bhuiyan’s story is filled with themes of metamorphosis—how dark human acts can lead to positive change. “Bhuiyan’s experience challenges all of us to imagine what it would mean to be a nation that truly values a diversity of religions,” said Dr. Jeremy Posadas, Austin College assistant professor of religion studies. “One hopes for a day when such transformation can happen without the horrific violence he and others suffered.”
Bhuiyan is a peace activist and an IT professional. After graduating from Sylhet Cadet College, a military School in Bangladesh, he joined the Bangladesh Air Force and was commissioned as a pilot officer following two and a half years of vigorous training. He received a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics from the National University in Dhaka and completed numerous information technology courses in New York and Dallas where he continued his education, taking courses in computer system engineering, programming, and database administration. In 2001, he was shot in the face by Mark Stroman, an avowed white supremacist seeking vengeance for the 9/11 tragedy. Bhuiyan’s response was to forgive.
He currently works in information technology with Sabre Holdings, a global technology company in Southlake, Texas. His time is divided between managing a team of system engineers and data centers in Europe and touring the globe giving talks about the regenerative power of forgiveness.
World Without Hate has a mission to cultivate restorative forgiveness, radical empathy, and nonviolent compassionate action through education, community outreach, and advocacy.
Many Austin College student leaders have worked together to bring this event to campus. Muhammad Ismail, Austin College student and president of the Muslim Students Association, is one of those leaders. “Mr. Bhuiyan has been an inspiration for many people,” Ismail said. “His character alone has been the fuel for change in this country. The world needs more leaders like Mr. Bhuiyan,” Other organizations involved include InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Amnesty International, Campus Activities Board, the Religious Studies Department, and the Religious Life Office.
For more information, please contact Posadas at jposadas@austincollege.edu.