Chimamanda Adichie talks empathy as she is honoured by American University Washington

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has received an honorary degree from American University in Washington for being “one of the world’s most powerful voices in fiction.”

The author was honoured with the  honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the College of Arts and Sciences commencement. She also delivered the commencement address for the university’s College of Arts and Sciences over the weekend.

In her speech, which centred on empathy, the author reminded students not to think of their graduation day as the day they stop being a student but to read all their life because “reading makes empathy possible.”

Chimamanda’s asked her audience to be mindful not to be wasteful and to embrace acts that benefit humanity. “Humanity can be one person.”

Here are excepts of that speech as published by the American University on Twitter.

“I think of myself as a perpetual student because knowledge is never complete. Please don’t think of today as the day you stop being a student. Be a student the rest of your life. The best way to do this is to read every day.

“Reading makes empathy possible. When we read we become alive in bodies that are not our own. And if there’s anything we need sorely greatly today, it is empathy.

“To be alive is to hold something fragile and precious in the palm of your hand and to consciously decide not to waste it.

“To paraphrase a wise saying: Be ashamed to die until you have done one act that benefits humanity. And humanity can be one person.”