Tue, Oct 03
|Webinar
Meet Jok Abraham Thon, University of Maryland Baltimore County’s first Global Peaceworker Fellow,
Introducing Jok Abraham Thon, a driving force for change. From founding Promised Land Schools to his groundbreaking work with "Bullets to Books," discover how he's transforming lives through education and peace.
Time & Location
Oct 03, 2023, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Webinar
About the Event
Join us in celebrating Jok Abraham Thon, UMBC's first Global Peaceworker Fellow! As he pursues his Master's in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Leadership, Jok's journey takes him from the heart of South Sudan to the halls of academia.
A true visionary, Jok is the Founding Director of Promised Land Schools and Promised Land College, providing education and hope to over 1500 internally displaced students in Juba-South Sudan. With a focus on conflict resolution and peacebuilding, he's nurturing the next generation of South Sudan's leaders.
Impressively, Promised Land students consistently excel in National Examinations, and 750 graduates are now pursuing higher education worldwide, from South Sudan to prestigious institutions like Princeton and Anderson Universities in the United States and the University of British Columbia in Canada.
Jok's academic journey is equally inspiring, with a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Juba and a Bachelor of Biblical Studies and Community Development Outreach from Nation to Nation Christian University. He honed his leadership skills as a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow, studying Civic Leadership at the University of Delaware.
In 2019, Jok received the Ron Kovic MY HERO Peace Prize for his transformative documentary, "Bullets to Books." His dedication to peace earned him the 2021 Billion Acts of Peace Award from Peace Jam, where he engaged in a profound online dialogue with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
Jok's commitment extends to advocacy as the African Union Youth Charter Advocate for South Sudan, championing the Youth Empowerment Policy Act. In 2023, he was nominated as UMBC's representative to the Transform Mid-Atlantic Fellowship 2023-2024, uniting with 16 students from across the region to drive change.
Jok's passion knows no bounds; he's a fervent advocate for women's and girls' empowerment and a tireless advocate for peacebuilding through education. Join us as we celebrate a true changemaker, Jok Abraham Thon.