The Wesley Center for Spirituality, Service and Social Justice announced their first Imagine No Malaria Education Festival will be taking place on November 19th!  This exciting new program is a 4 and a half hour event geared towards generating awareness, education, charity fundraising, and community building.

"This event has been in the works for a long time," said Daniel Campbell, Communications Assistant for the Wesley Center and the coordinator of Hamline's collaboration with Imagine No Malaria in the 2011-12 school year.  "We're having national speakers, professors, staff, and student organizations host a variety of events.  I think it'll be a great way to educate and engage students with this issue and it will hopefully inspire students to pursue this and other issues of social justice."

The event will feature guest speakers such as Leia Williams, Field Coordinator for the National Imagine No Malaria Campaign, CLA Professor Carolyn Holbrook, and events and activities by 6 student organizations.  The event will culminate in an immersive "Indoor Sleep-Out" experience and reflective writing activity.

"The event isn't just about lectures and civic engagement," added Campbell, "it's also about community building.  We're planning on having free food, drawings, games, and prizes throughout the night, as well as a special Step Performance.  This is something that students will definitely be excited about."

The event takes place next Saturday (November 19th) from 5:30 - 10pm in the GLC (we have the entire building on reserve and will be moving through various rooms).  If you cannot attend, but would still like to consider an article, I'd be happy give an interview along with my student worker, Yvette Diaz, who has been very involved.  I can also provide photographs of the event.  For more information about the event, including a complete list of events, check out our website at http://www.hamline.edu/offices/wesley/religion-spirituality/inm-festival.html