From Iran, a voice for peace

It’s not every day that a Nobel Peace Prize winner shows up in San Luis Obispo.

Human rights activist Shirin Ebadi speaks Tuesday, May 1, at the Performing Arts Center. The talk is sponsored by a campus group, Persian Students of Cal Poly.
According to Cal Poly officials, Ebadi will discuss her experiences as a woman in Iran — from her childhood before the 1979 revolution, to her life as a mother and lawyer battling an oppressive regime.
She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her courageous efforts for democracy and human rights, especially the rights of refugees, women and children in Iran. One of the first female judges in Iran, she received a law degree from the University of Tehran and served as president of Tehran’s city court from 1975 to 1979.
She is the founder and leader of the Association for Support of Children’s Rights in Iran.
Ebadi has also written several books and articles on human rights, including a 2006 memoir with co-author Azadeh Moaveni, "Iran Awakening: A Story of Revolution and Hope."

Ebadi’s talk begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Harman Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

-- Sarah L.