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Annual Middle East Week 2015

partial map of the Middle East

partial map of the Middle East

For millenia, the Middle East has been the cradle of civilization encompassing a cross section of Western Asia and Northern Africa. Centuries later, it remains an epicenter for international trade. But it is also known for its conflict. UWinnipeg presents the Annual Middle East Week 2015 from February 23 – March 2, 2015. This features a series of lectures, a film and dialogue to help promote understanding of this multifaceted and historically-rich region of the world. All events are free and open to the public and will be held in Convocation Hall, 515 Portage Avenue.

Middle East Week February 23 – March 2, 2015

The Road to Peace in the Arab Israeli Conflict; A Conversation with the Arab Jewish Dialogue

February 23 – 12:30 – 1:30pm, Convocation Hall

Panel discussion with : Ab Freig, Howard Morry, Mohammed Abas and Josh Morry

The Arab Jewish Dialogue (AJD) is a national organization based in Winnipeg whose goal is to improve relations between Arabs and Jews through dialogue and education.  The AJD recently established the AJD on Campus at the University of Manitoba in order to engage students on political issues that are often divisive.  The chairs of the AJD will share their story with the hope to inspire students at UWinnipeg.

Lawyer Corey Shefman

Lawyer Corey Shefman

The Limits of Free Speech – presented by Cory Shefman

Wednesday, February 25 – 12:30 – 1:30pm, Convocation Hall

Is the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, absolute? What are its limits? For many years, Canada had strong laws in place to protect Canadians against hate speech, but recently those laws have been weakened and stripped away in the name of unrestricted free expression. In this discussion, lawyer and activist Corey Shefman will discuss recent Court decisions and make the case for restricting hate speech in order to enhance civil discourse and strengthen the public sphere.

Corey Shefman is a Winnipeg lawyer practicing human rights law, civil litigation and Aboriginal rights law, and is currently serving his second term as President of the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties. Corey received his B.A. from McGill University, M.A. from Cardiff University and LL.B. from the University of Manitoba. Corey is active in municipal, provincial and federal politics, and has published columns in the Jewish Tribune, CBC Online, Winnipeg Free Press and Outwords.

Rabbi Osadcheyon

Rabbi Osadcheyon

Multi-faith Leadership Breakfast –  Featuring Rabbi Osadcheyon – Thursday, February 26 – 7:30 – 9:00am, Convocation Hall. Rabbi Osadchey will speak on the Wisdom and the City. Tickets are $25 + can be purchased at Manitoba Multifaith Council. Doors open at 7:00am.

Rabbi Shaul Osadchey is proud to call Calgary home.  Throughout his 35 years in the rabbinate, Osadchey has envisioned his role as invigorating Jewish life with joy and celebration, passion and enthusiasm in the hope of making Jewish tradition an integral part of modern living and is active in the interfaith community. Osadchey currently serves as the Vice-President of the Calgary Council of Christians and Jews.

 

 

 

 

Maziar Bahari

Maziar Bahari


‘To Light a Candle’ Documentary & Panel  Discussion

Friday, February 27 – 7:00 – 10:00pm, Convocation Hall

7:00pm film – 8:00 pm panel discussion – 9:00 pm reception – 1st Global “Education is not a Crime” Day

A documentary about the Bahá’ís creative response to being denied post-graduate education in Iran

Director/Producer: Canadian Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari (of Jon Stewart’s “Rosewater” fame) educationisnotacrime.me

PANEL: Honourable Dr. Lloyd Axworthy; Rev. Prof. Dr. James Christie; Dr. Gerald Filson; and a BIHE graduate

Dr. Mira Sucharov, Associate Professor, Political Science, Carleton University

Dr. Mira Sucharov, Associate Professor, Political Science, Carleton University

Power and Identity Across the Israeli-Palestinian Divide – presented by Mira Sucharov
Monday, March 2 – 12:30 – 1:30pm,
Convocation Hall

Relations between Palestinians and Israelis appear more polarized than at any other time since the peace process began two decades ago, and discourse on many North American campuses has hardened into opposing camps with more shouting than listening. How can we reach across the divide to envision political solutions that take into account the material and identity needs of both peoples? Drawing on history, memory and public opinion, Prof. Sucharov will suggest some ways of transcending the hardened approaches that seem to have become the language of the day.

Mira Sucharov is Associate Professor of Political Science at Carleton University in Ottawa. She is the author of The International Self: Psychoanalysis and the Search for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (Albany: SUNY Press, 2005), and articles on Israeli-Palestinian relations and Diaspora Jewish relations, emotions and IR, pedagogy, and reflections on the craft of being a scholar-blogger. Sucharov was a 2004 recipient of the Carleton University Teaching Achievement Award, and was a 2011 winner of the Provost’s Fellowship in Teaching. For a column on Holocaust education and Israeli foreign policy, Sucharov won a 2010 Rockower Award from the American Jewish Press Association. She is a blogger for Haaretz.com and for The Jewish Daily Forward, and a columnist for the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin and Vancouver’s Jewish Independent. She is currently the country analyst for Israel and the Palestinian Territories for Freedom House.

 

 

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