Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Arrive in San Diego with Semester at Sea Program

World Leader Joins More than 600 College Students Aboard Global Study Abroad Program

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 7, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/—ABOARD THE MV EXPLORER—Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and more than 600 students from colleges and universities throughout the United States will arrive in San Diego Monday, December 13 at approximately 8 a.m. as the Semester at Sea global study abroad program completes its 108-day voyage around the world.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060926/CLTU511)

Since August, the Archbishop and his wife, Leah, have been active participants on the Fall 2010 voyage of Semester at Sea. They have spent the last four months with an academic community that includes more than 60 faculty and staff, 63 lifelong learners, and undergraduates representing nearly 300 universities from around the world.

During its circumnavigation of the globe, the fall voyage explored Spain, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, China (Hong Kong & Shanghai), Japan (Kobe & Tokyo), and Hawaii, before returning to the Port of San Diego. The ship will arrive at Terminal 1140 North, Harbor Drive, B Street Pier in San Diego.

Archbishop Tutu, 79, is sailing as a Senior Statesman in Residence and helped launch the first Desmond Tutu Distinguished Chair in Global Understanding, a program established to honor his lifelong contributions to global awareness and intercultural understanding.

"I have had the good fortune to be a small part of this wonderful experiment in education," said Archbishop Tutu, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work to end apartheid.

While on the voyage, the Archbishop has lectured several times to students—about life in South Africa, making a difference in the world—dined casually with faculty, staff and students, participated in events and celebrated his 79th birthday aboard the MV Explorer while in South Africa in October.

"The mission of this grand experiment has been to foster greater intercultural understanding by showing all who are a part of it—both young and old, students and faculty— that they are not much different than the people and cultures from other parts of the world. At the same time, they learn compassion," the Archbishop said. "They learn giving back. And they are, all of these students, just awesome."

Students attend classes aboard the MV Explorer, a 590-foot passenger ship that serves as Semester at Sea's floating university, and do intensive field work and service projects in each country of call. Archbishop Tutu has participated in the Semester at Sea program on previous occasions, including in 2007. He will sail on the upcoming Enrichment Voyage later this month. He is a member of the ISE/SAS Board of Trustees.

All media are invited to board the ship in the morning of December 13 after it docks to tour the ship, meet students and faculty and have a brief interview with the Archbishop. To board the ship, please respond by December 9 to Lauren Heinz, vice president of communications and media relations ([email protected]) and include the following information: Name, Date of Birth; Driver's license number and expiration date. Morning TV crews are encouraged to be at the pier no later than 7:30 a.m.

Media Resources:

• Website: www.semesteratsea.org
• Fall 2010 voyage http://www.semesteratsea.org/current-voyage/overview/
• Tour the ship: www.semesteratsea.org/our-ship/overview/
• Media kit: http://www.semesteratsea.org/downloads/view-document-details/sas-media-kit-january-2010.php

About Semester at Sea

Semester at Sea® is a U.S. global study abroad program that has taken more than 50,000 students and lifelong learners around the world since its inception in 1963. The University of Virginia is the program's academic sponsor.  It has made groundbreaking visits to Cuba and participants have met with prominent leaders including Anwar Sadat, Indira Gandhi, Mikhail Gorbachev, Corazon Aquino, Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela.

SOURCE Semester at Sea