University of Kansas faculty, students, and professionals from the Iranian community will discuss the continued demonstrations and unrest in Iran from research and shared experience perspective. 

The hybrid panel discussion, Global Conversations: Public Protests in Iran will be from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 4 in the Sabatini Multicultural Center. Participants can also register to attend virtually on Zoom. 

Dr. Rana Esfandiary, assistant professor of design & technology in the Department of Theatre & Dance and Alireza, MFA student in visual art, will provide research-based context of current events based on a history of regional protests, its impact on the arts community, censorship from  diasporic lenses, and the differences between Persian Culture and Islamic regime.

Following the presentation, a conversation among the KU Iranian Community Organiztion will occur, including Dr. Homayoon Rafatijo, Esq., Intellectual Property Attorney, Spencer Fane LLP. 

The event is the third in the Global Conversations series. The series focuses on critical conversations about equity in a global context with the hopes of expanding campus literacy on important issues that shape our world. These conversations leverage the knowledge and experience of campus experts as well as students, faculty and staff as they come together to discuss social, cultural and political reverberations of major world events. The series is one of several collaborations across KU that emphasize the value of engaging in internationalization and intersectionality as a core framework of Jayhawks Rising.   

The series is sponsored by International Affairs; Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and The Commons. The April 4 event is co-sponsored by International Support Serves, the Global Awareness Program, the Center for Global & International Studies, and the KU Iranian Community Association.