2003 Nobel Preace Prize Recipient Shirin Ebadi

The 2003 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Shirin Ebadi, the first Muslim woman and first Iranian to receive the award, will discuss “Ways to Fight Islamic Fundamentalism” on Thursday, Oct. 22 during her lecture hosted by the Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at California State University, San Bernardino. Her lecture will be held from 6-8 p.m. in the university’s Coussoulis Arena. Ebadi’s talk is part of the year-long 50th anniversary celebration on the CSUSB campus. Ebadi was awarded the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democracy and human rights. She served as president of the city court of Tehran from 1975 to 1979 and was the first Iranian woman to achieve chief justice status. She, along with other women judges, was dismissed from the bench after the Islamic Revolution in February 1979. After she was demoted to serving as a clerk in the court where she had once presided, Ebadi petitioned for early retirement and obtained her lawyer’s license in 1992. In her private practice, Ebadi has taken on many controversial cases defending political dissidents and as a result has been arrested numerous times. Ebadi has also established many non-governmental organizations in Iran and has led successful human rights campaigns, including the Million Signatures Campaign to end legal discrimination against women in Iranian law. She also worked as a university professor and has published more than 70 articles and 12 books dedicated to various aspects of human rights, some of which have been published by UNICEF. In 2004, she was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. In January 2006, along with sister Nobel Laureate Jody Williams, Ebadi took the lead in establishing the Nobel Women’s Initiative. CSUSB faculty, staff and students may pick up complimentary general admission tickets (no limit) with a valid Coyote ID at the CSUSB Office of Special Events and Guest Services, Lower Commons room 107, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For general admission and VIP ticket purchases and more information, visit the CSUSB 50th Anniversary website, at http://50.csusb.edu. The CSUSB Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies is dedicated to broadening understanding of the Islamic world and the Middle East. The event is free for CSUSB faculty, staff, and students, and is open to the public. General admission tickets are $20. A special VIP admission ticket (including a private reception with Professor Ebadi immediately following her presentation) is $50.