The University of Liberia (UL) has officially launched the inaugural Amos C. Sawyer Public Lecture Series, a major academic initiative aimed at fostering intellectual discourse and honoring the legacy of the late Dr. Amos C. Sawyer.
The launch event was held on Friday, June 13, at UL’s Fendall Campus. Organized in collaboration with the Amos Claudius Sawyer Educational Foundation (ACSEF), the lecture series commemorates Dr. Sawyer’s enduring impact as a political scientist, educator, and former Interim President of Liberia.
The series will be hosted annually by the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities. It is designed to serve as a platform for scholars, academics, and statesmen to engage in dialogue on critical social, political, and academic issues ~ drawing inspiration from Dr. Sawyer’s vision and contributions.
Delivering the opening remarks, UL Vice President for Academic Affairs and Officer-in-Charge, Prof. Dr. Agnes Reeves Taylor, conveyed appreciation on behalf of UL President Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan.
“We’re very grateful,” said Dr. Taylor. “To the Sawyer Foundation and the Sawyer family, thank you for choosing our university as the home for this important intellectual legacy. Dr. Sawyer’s name and vision will live on.”
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Amb. Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson, a longtime friend and confidant of Dr. Sawyer. Reflecting on his legacy, Mayson praised Sawyer as a principled leader and visionary intellectual.
“I know one can only live once. But if you live once, and you live well, once is enough and Sawyer lived well,” he remarked. “He was both intelligent and honest, a rare combination, yet vital for leadership. Dr. Sawyer did not just interpret the world ~ he worked to change it.”
The annual lecture series is expected to become a cornerstone of academic life at UL, enriching scholarly conversations and celebrating the life and work of one of Liberia’s most esteemed statesmen.
