Education Under Fire
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Come watch the documentary, Education Under Fire: The Long Persecution of Iran’s Baha’is, followed by a discussion facilitated by Professor Loni Bramson. Saturday, 12/1, 2 pm. Read more...
The film, "Education Under Fire" profiles the growth, struggle, and inspiring spirit of the Baha´i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE).
Baha´is in Iran have been subjected to systematic persecution, including arrests, torture, and execution simply for refusing to recant their beliefs. They are also prohibited from going to college (and blocked from many professions). In 1987, the semi-underground BIHE was formed to give young Baha´is their only chance for a university-level education. Despite repeated raids and arrests, volunteer teachers and administrators created an independent, decentralized university system that has lifted the lives of thousands of Baha´i students across Iran. In May 2011, an organized assault was launched by the Iranian government in an attempt to shut down the BIHE. Over 30 homes were raided and over a dozen BIHE professors and administrators were detained. Several are still in prison for doing nothing more than trying to teach. The film connects a diverse audience to a grave human rights issue, a powerful story of resilience against oppression, and the need to respect human rights everywhere.
Join us for a special presentation of this moving documentary on Saturday, December 1, at 2PM. The program is free and will be held in the library’s upstairs meeting room. A discussion led by Professor Loni Bramson will follow the film. Professor Bramson holds a PhD in History and History of Religion, and she has taught in Africa, Europe, as well as the United States. She resides in Cedar Mill.
