Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner and the 2016 Chellgren Lecturer will speak in the Gatton College of Business Thursday.

“The Role of Business in Bringing about Social Change” will be the theme for this event, according to UKNOW.

Satyarthi has been leading the global fight against child slavery for more than three decades. He created an organization called “Campaign to Save Children,” which has rescued more than 83,000 children from child labor and trafficking. Along with rescuing children, Satyarthi developed a victorious model for education and rehabilitation for children suffering from child labor. 

Gatton College’s Director of Marketing and Communications Ann Mary Quarandillio said Satyarthi’s speech can bring out many students and give them the chance to branch out with different opportunities and bring new experiences to them.

“The Dean of International Studies is wanting to increase international global work, building relationships in India and China,” Quarandillio said.

At the age of 26, Satayrthi gave up the career of an electrical engineer to initiate against child servitude, Quarandillio said. He risked his own safety by being involved in weekly rescues and recovery missions in workplace that employ and enslave children. He organized The Global March Against Child Labor in 1998 to free millions of children.

Quarandillio said his influence to change the policies surfaced across 103 countries on five continents to raise the awareness on the children being put into slavery. Satyarthi does a lot of policy work to establish schools to save them. One of his goals is to give education and better life to those who are not fortunate enough.

Throughout his career, he has been covered by media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, CNN, BBC, The Washington Post and The New York Times. His life and work were covered by those due to how his field of work is simply implying to have a change. Satyarthi has also worked with the World Bank, United Nations, companies and governments to help influence his global policies even more.

“He shows that this issue can’t be a charity, government and business issue,” Quanrandillo said. Students will be able to endure important issues and topics that can be relevant for the future.

This event will be held in the Kincaid Auditorium of Gatton College on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The event will be free. Students must register and reserve their seat online at gatton.uky.edu/speaker-kailash.