Iranian Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi spoke about human rights in Iran and democracy in North Africa and the Middle East to an audience of about 200 Northwestern students and Evanston-area residents Monday.
The talk was part of a promotional tour for her second book, “The Golden Cage,” which discusses three men’s personal struggles during the Iranian Revolution. The book was recently translated into English.
The lecture was co-sponsored by the Buffett Center for International and Comparative Studies and the Northwestern Conference on Human Rights. It was followed by an extensive question-and-answer session.
Weinberg senior Katharine Nasielski said she found Ebadi’s work to be especially important as an example of how to turn human rights into a career and promote human rights issues internationally.
“We were really excited to bring in someone in conjunction with the human rights talks who is at the forefront of her field and also really impressive as a woman working with human rights through a very kind of professional lens,” said Nasielski, an outgoing co-director of NUCHR.
In 2003, Ebadi became the first Muslim woman and the first Iranian to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
During her talk, Ebadi emphasized the importance of Iran’s non-violent Green Revolution as a force to peacefully counter the current regime. She compared America’s own civil rights struggle to the Iranian non-violent demonstrations for democracy.
Ebadi, who spoke through a Persian translator, listed statistics of deaths since Iran’s last elections in 2009, also focusing on university students to give the audience perspective.
She said 1,000 university students were expelled from university in Iran because they wanted democracy. Over 100 of them are currently in prison, Ebadi said.
Ebadi emphasized that Iran’s Green Movement, a protest against the disputed victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 2009 Iranian elections, is not the construct of a political party. Rather, it is a democratic movement that is becoming stronger every day, she said.
Kenilworth, Ill., resident Veronika Steingraber said she did not agree with all of the points Ebadi made in her lecture, but she thought Ebadi’s talk was inspiring nonetheless.
When asked about the role Iranian-Americans should play in promoting democracy in Iran, Ebadi said she does not condone military intervention, but supports increased awareness and political sanctions against Iran. Ebadi’s advice echoes the first sentence of her book: “If you cannot eliminate injustice, at least tell everyone about it.”
Weinberg senior Yasaman Fatemi, an Iranian-American, said she found hope in Ebadi’s words.
“I really enjoyed it. It was an honor to hear her speak,” she said. “She brings enthusiasm to the movement and hope for the future.”
