Famed Nobel Peace Prize winner, author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel will speak at the UA Sunday in a lecture about building unity and at a humanitarian dinner honoring President Peter Likins and businessman Donald Diamond.

Sponsored by the Center for Judaic Studies, the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and UApresents, the event marks the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps in Europe, said Jennifer Fink of the Jewish Federation.

Wiesel, also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and author of "La Nuit (Night)," will talk about the need to combathatred and bigotry in his lecture "Confronting Fanaticism: Building Moral Unity in a Diverse Society."

Ed Wright, director of the Center for Judaic Studies, said Wiesel's vision of humanity should be a model for society because his life experiences provide him with more clarity on how to address pressing issues of today.

"Students can learn from a person who saw the horrors of war and the necessity of rebuilding afterwards," Wright said. "He has been called the teacher of this generation."

At age 15, Wiesel and his family were deported to Auschwitz by Nazis. His mother and younger sister died, and his two older sisters survived. Wiesel was later transported to Buchenwald, where his father also died.

Since then, Wiesel's list of accomplishments include publishing more than 40 books, being a professor at Boston University, earning the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and Medal of Liberty and establishing the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity.

The lecture, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in Centennial Hall, will follow the Community-Builders Humanitarian Award Dinner honoring Likins and Diamond.

Likins was chosen as an award recipient for his commitment to building community and diversity, as seen both his professional and personal life, Wright said.

Saundra Taylor, vice president for campus life, said Likins is a model in his sincere commitment to diversity and he demonstrates why it is important on campus.

In addition to appointing a diverse cabinet, Likins has set goals of making the UA a more inclusive campus, such as becoming a Hispanic Serving Institute. He supports the Women's Plaza of Honor, enacted a Diversity Action Plan and donates to programs such as New-Start.

Likins and his wife also have raised an interracial family of six adopted children.

Diamond, who owns a part of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns, is a supporter of community organizations such as Steel Memorial Children's Research Center, Tucson Medical Center, Temple Emanu-El, the Jewish Federation, and is an honorary life member of the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade for his efforts to foster U.S. business with Mexico.

Proceeds from the dinner will go toward the John Likins Scholarship Fund for students to study at the UA in fields related to gender, race, ethnicity and cultural studies, and to provide educational programs on cultural harmony.

Named after Likins' late son John, Wright said the scholarship will keep the memory alive of a great athlete, great student and someone who reached out to other people.

John Likins died in 2003 at the age of 33 after his father helped him through years of problems with drug addiction and schizophrenia.

Tickets to the lecture will be available through Sunday. For more information, call the Centennial Hall box office at 621-3341.