April 24, 2008, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Don Ridler Field House
Lawrence Technological University
Book signing to follow

A Voice for Change

What would you sacrifice for your beliefs? Would you be willing to risk your freedom for a noble cause? Would you put your life on the line to bring about justice for others?

Dr. Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist, has spent her life defending women, children, and others whose rights have been suppressed and violated by Iran’s government. Known for promoting peaceful, democratic solutions to fight injustice, Dr. Ebadi’s relentless efforts for democracy and human rights earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Not only was Dr. Ebadi the first Iranian to be awarded such an honor, but also the first Muslim woman in Nobel history.

Despite her prominence on the world stage, however, Dr. Ebadi has been arrested and imprisoned and received death threats as a result of her work. She began to fight for change after she experienced injustice herself. The first female judge in Iran, she and other women were forced to resign from the bench following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. With women no longer allowed to hold judge’s positions, she became a human rights lawyer, defending others who had been victimized and
denied their basic rights.

Dr. Ebadi has led several successful grassroots campaigns in her country, including the creation of the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, one of Iran’s first independent, nongovernmental human rights organizations. She also co-founded the Centre for the Defense of Human Rights, which advocates for the rights of women, political prisoners, and minorities in Iran.

Dr. Ebadi has written several books and articles focused on human rights, including her most recent, Iran Awakening: A Memoir of Revolution and Hope (Random House, 2006), co-written with Iranian-American author Azadeh Moaveni. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during this event.

The first guest in the Distinguished Speakers Series of the Center for Global Leadership and Understanding of Lawrence Tech’s College of Management, Dr. Ebadi will discuss the importance of creating a more humane and sustainable world community – one which is led by global thinkers and leaders.

For more information on Dr. Shirin Ebadi, visit apbspeakers.com.
Admission is free; pre-registration is required by April 21 for preferred seating.

R.S.V.P. online at ltu.edu/management, email mgt-intl@ltu.edu, or call 248.204.3050. Groups over four must register by calling 248.204.3050.

The use of recording devices and cell phones are strictly prohibited during the event. The University reserves the right to inspect purses, bags, briefcases, and other items, and to preclude such items from the presentation and premises.