At Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT
FREE conference sponsored by the Womens Law Group, VT Law School, March 20 & 21
at the VT Law School, South Royalton VT (Exit 3 off of I-89 then Route 14 South)
The purpose of the conference is to focus on how women initiate, achieve and maintain peace in their local communities and around the world. In addition, we want to celebrate the unique contributions that women have made to peace efforts. We believe this is a very timely issue and hope that the conference will foster new ideas and forge new relationships.
Keynote speaker, Nelofer Pazira, grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan during the Russian occupation of her country. In 1989, Ms. Pazira‰s family fled the communist regime. At age sixteen, she walked for ten days together with her family into Pakistan, where she lived as a refugee for one year before emigrating to Canada. She has made two documentary films about Iran and starred in the movie "Kandahar." In her current role as a journalist, Ms. Pazira writes about the treatment of women in Afghanistan
Dr. Cynthia Mahmood is a social anthropologist with special interests in war and peace, conflict resolution, and the cultural contexts of violence. She has written three books, the best known of which is Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants (University of Pennsylvania 1996). Mahmood is the founder and director of the book series on The Ethnography of Political Violence at The University of Pennsylvania Press. Committed to bringing academic insights to bear on world problems, Mahmood serves as consultant to governmental and non-governmental agencies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, and is a frequent public speaker on topics relating to peacemaking. Her current interests are Punjab, Kashmir, and Cyprus. Mahmood has been a fellow of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame since 2001.
Dr. Marta Umanzor's activism began in the 50-60's when she worked with activist Oscar Romero. She developed regional schools teaching local farmers sustainable agricultural practices. She was both a teacher and an attorney for disadvantaged clients in El Salvador. When Archbishop Romero was assassinated, she fled to the United States. She began her life in the U.S. cleaning hotel rooms. Dr. Umanzor eventually earned an undergraduate degree, a Masters and finally a PhD. She is currently a Professor at Saint Michael's College and part of a Burlington-based Peace Activist Group.
As Vermont‰s first woman governor, Madeline Kunin served three terms. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Kunin emigrated to the United States in 1940. She was Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education under Bill Clinton. There she played an integral policy-making role. In 1996 Ms. Kunin became the American Ambassador to Switzerland where she worked to secure reparations for Holocaust victims. Ms. Kunin has written a political memoir entitled Living in a Political Life.
We hope you will join us.
Conference Schedule:
Wednesday, March 19 (pre-conference event)
Film 'Kandahar' 6pm in Oakes 208 followed by Coffeehouse in Javaprudence at 7:30pm
Thursday, March 20
6:00pm Dinner in Chase Center
7:00pm Nelofer Pazira's keynote address
Friday, March 21
8:30am: Registration in Chase Center
9:00am: Dr. Cynthia Mahmood
10:15am: Dr. Marta Umanzor
11:30am: Madeline Kunin
12:30pm: Lunch
1:00pm: Panel Discussion facilitated by VLS Professor, Cheryl Hanna.
Tickets will be on sale in Chase Breezeway Thursday March 13- Thursday March 20. Tickets required for the Dinner ONLY. Limited seating available. Tickets for current VLS students: $15.00, all other tickets $25.00. Email jwillis@vermontlaw.edu for reservations.
