Fatemeh Haghighatjoo - The “Lion Woman of Iran” - to Speak in Wayland

Wayland, MA - Join the Walden Forum for a discussion with Fatemeh Haghighatjoo - CEO of the Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy Inc. and a former member of the Iranian Parliament.  This Walden Forum will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12 at the First Parish Meeting House, 50 Cochituate Rd, Wayland, MA 01778.

Dr. Haghighatjoo knows Iranian politics and society inside and out and has a voice like no other. She will address recent discussions between Iran and six world powers. Dr. Haghighatjoo says that “the phone conversation between the two leaders was an historical moment.”  Many think-tanks have invited her to discuss this issue with them. “This new development is very important,” she believes. But is there really a prospect for a deal and will this reduce or increase the tension between the two countries?

Recently the Iranian people voted “yes” to a more moderate government, electing President Rouhani. He has recently stated his desire for better relations with the West. He has put those words into action despite strong opposition from the radicals. “Rouhani is the man to reach a deal with on the nuclear issue. The deal should be a win-win to solve a decade long matter,” Dr. Haghighatjoo says. But long-standing and simmering problems with honesty, nuclear proliferation and weapons development exist. Will he be able to overcome these? The crippling economic sanctions are working. Should we ease up or keep the pressure on? What can we really expect, what do the majority of Iranian people really want and what does the Ayatollah want?  Is Rouhani to be believed?

Dr. Haghighatjoo will discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu’s UN talk, which included this statement:  “I wish I could believe Rouhani, but I don’t because facts are stubborn things, and the facts are that Iran’s savage record flatly contradicts Rouhani’s soothing rhetoric.” Will he fight for change or is he a “wolf in sheep skins” as Netanyahu thinks? Is he looking to buy time as he did when he was Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator?

Our guest will also discuss the social, political and educational situation that exists today for Iranian women and their quest for rights, peace, democracy and a nuclear-free Iran. Further, she will examine the role women play in contemporary politics. To improve the circumstances of women, it is said, Rouhani should take a number of steps, including ending the country’s “security atmosphere,”  removing restrictions on women’s public life, and eliminating censorship on women’s issues. 

Fatemeh Haghighatjoo, the “Lion Woman’’ of Iran, is the CEO of the Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy, Inc. (NID). Dr. Haghighatjoo has held academic positions at UMass Boston, MIT, Harvard, and the University of Connecticut. Dr. Haghighatjoo is an expert in Iran’s internal affairs and an advocate for human rights, women’s rights, and democracy. In Iran, she was a member of Iran’s reformist parliament from 2000-2004. Currently, she writes about factional politics in Iran during Rouhani’s presidency. She is also working on a book manuscript entitled, A Voice for Truth. She has authored a book entitled Search for Truth (published in 2002). Dr. Haghighatjoo has been extensively interviewed and quoted by the international media, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, BBC Persian TV and Radio, Voice of America, CNN, and others.

About the Walden Forum – The Walden Forum is a free public Distingushed Speaker series. We are recreating a Chautauqua-like multigeneration learning exprerience that brings people together to talk, listen and learn from one another in a civil environment. It fosters discussion about important ethical, religious, political, scientific, social and other topics and events in a live-forum setting. Dynamic speakers and entertainers challenge and expand our views about the world around us and offer the opportunity for an open discussion of these issues in a convenient, local setting. Featuring world-class speakers on great topics throughout the year, the Walden Forum is a non-religious, non-political, non-profit community program supported by First Parish in Wayland and many others. For more information go to www.waldenforum.org or write to info@waldenforum.org.                          #  #  #