14 October 2000
UI News Services, The University of Iowa, USA
Going to jail is part of the job for human rights activist Ravi Nair.
Nair will speak to the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council on the topic, “A Regional Human Rights Regime for Asia,” at noon Nov. 3 in the Rockwood Fellowship Hall of the Congregational Church, 30 N. Clinton St. The presentation is open to the public.
Nair is visiting UI as an Ida Cordelia Beam distinguished visiting lecturer. He is executive director of the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Geneva-based International Service for Human Rights and is a member of the International Editorial Board of Human Rights Tribune in Ottawa.
Nair has been both rewarded and punished for his commitment and activism. In 1997, he received the M.A. Thomas National Human Rights award. He has also been arrested numerous times by the Indian police. He spent a year in detention under the Defense of India Rules in 1975-76 while protesting against the imposition of the Emergency in India. His last arrest was in December 1993 for breaking a state government ban against the celebration of United Nations Human Rights Day. Nair faces constant intimidation from intelligence agencies because of his human rights work. The last incident occurred in November 1999.
The deadline to register for the luncheon is noon Nov. 1. New Pioneer Co-op will cater the meal, and the cost is $6 for members and $7 for non-members. Checks can be written to the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council and mailed to ICFRC, 120 International Center, Iowa City, Iowa 52245-1802.
For information, call 335-0351. Reservations cannot be taken by phone but last-minute adjustments may be made.
Nair’s presentation is co-sponsored by International Programs and the UI Center for Human Rights and presented in part with the support of Firstar Bank. For those unable to attend, WSUI-AM (910) will carry this program Nov. 6 following the noon news.
The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council is a non-profit association of community and university people interested in learning more about U.S. foreign policy, world affairs and current global issues impacting world societies. The group provides members with the opportunity to hear more than 35 experts per year who visit the University of Iowa and the Iowa City/ Cedar Rapids area.
ICFRC is part of the UI International Programs, which consists of a number of offices, centers, degree programs, academic programs, research projects and services. Organized under the associate provost and dean for International Programs, these units serve to further internationalize the campus and community and promote global scholarship, research and teaching.
q Rights speakers needed for event
UI News Services
Volunteers interested in sharing their knowledge about human rights are needed to speak to high school students during the University of Iowa’s fourth International Human Rights Day.
About 150 middle- and high school students from Iowa City and Cedar Rapids are expected to attend the Nov. 1 event, which will feature workshops in which individual speakers will discuss many areas of human rights, including poverty, child abuse and women’s rights.
Ravi Nair, a consultant to the United Nations on Indian affairs will be a keynote speaker.
For information about the event, contact Krishna Das or Margaret Evans at the UI International Center, 335-6289, or e-mail krishna-dasuiowa.edu.