In honor of International Women’s Day—celebrated on March 8—Wilfrid Laurier University will host author and torture survivor, Marina Nemat as a guest speaker. She’ll perform the keynote address at the Human Rights and Human Diversity Conference.
Nemat is the author of After Tehran: A Life Reclaimed, which covers her experience before, during and after her time as a political prisoner in Tehran, Iran. She was arrested when she was just 16 and spent two years in jail where she was tortured and came close to execution. Nemat moved to Canada in 1991 and has since become a bestselling author and a leading speaker on human rights.
Marina Nemat
In a press release from WLU Toronto about the student-led conference, the university provided a quote from Marina Nemat.
“When we love despite evil, when we care despite evil, when we stand against evil with what can fight it the best—that is humanity. Evil cannot fight evil. My prison friends and cellmates taught me that, even in a place like Evin Prison, there is a clear road to humanity. And I will never ever forget that.”
The Conference will be held at Laurier’s Brantford campus in the SC Johnson Building, room 127. It will take place from 1 – 2:30 pm and is being organized by Laurier’s Human Rights and Human Diversity Students’ Association. It will feature presentations from students and faculty, in addition to Nemat’s keynote slot.
“The Human Rights and Human Diversity conference brings the whole program together to share a variety of opinions on human rights issues,” said Sharyne Williams, HRHD Students’ Association co-president, in the same press release. “Discussions bring us closer to solutions, and we are giving our students the opportunity and space to start a conversation on the topic of their choosing.”
Those attending the conference will have the opportunity to participate in professor-led workshops and hear from their peers on issues they’re passionate about. The focus of the day and the workshops will be sexual assault, and will help to inform students about potential career paths in the Human Rights and Human Diversity field following graduation.