2009 Signature Sessions
1. Vision to Voice Signature Dialogue - A Journey from Faith to Reason |
  Signature Speaker:Author of Infidel and The Caged Virgin Moderator:Host of NPR's Tell Me More Somali-born author and activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali has gained both fame and infamy as an outspoken critic of Islam. After fleeing to the Netherlands to avoid an arranged marriage, she saw firsthand how the tradition of violence against Muslim women persisted within the immigrant community. Eventually elected to the Dutch parliament, she found her voice as an advocate for women's rights and the reform of Islam. Charismatic as well as controversial, Ali talks with Michel Martin in this compelling session about the trials and triumphs of her life. |
7. Vision to Voice Signature Dialogue - Realizing Worldwide Human Rights |
  Signature Speaker:Founder of The Ethical Globalization Initiative Interviewer:NPR Foreign Correspondent Mary Robinson gives new meaning to the expression "woman of the world." Since serving as the first female president of Ireland and chair of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights, she has worked tirelessly to put human rights standards at the heart of global governance and ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the world stage. In conversation with veteran interviewer Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Robinson assesses the progress made toward achieving this ambitious vision of a new moral order. |