Monday, February 06, 2012

Award-winning Hispanic author Mario Bencastro will speak about the injustice and violence of war suffered by the Salvadorians and the Diaspora of millions of displaced Latin American immigrants in the United States at the University of North Carolina Wilmington at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in Computer System Building (CIS) Room 1008.

Bencastro is the author of A Shot in the Cathedral, Tree of Life: Stories of Civil War, Odyssey to the North, A Promise to Keep and Portable Paradise. The story collections expose the drama of the Salvadorian war, the Diaspora of millions of Latin American emigrants and the challenges that many young Latinos in the U.S. encounter while living a bicultural and bilingual life.

Bencastro's short stories, novels and plays have been internationally published in El Salvador, Haiti, Canada, the United States and India, and have been translated into English, German and French. His commitment to speak out against injustices and human right violations was inspired by Archbishop Oscar who was assassinated for his call for peace in El Salvador.

Bencastro has spoken at hundreds of conferences and readings at public schools, libraries, universities and community organizations.

There will be a book signing and reception following the talk. Bencastro's visit to UNCW is co-sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, Centro Hispano, the Office of International Programs and the Wilmington United Nations Association.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu