Caltech Y Social Activism Speaker Series

Abstract: Roger Cohen arrived in Iran days before the election and witnessed first-hand the events leading up to and immediately following it. In the first event of our series on Iran, Cohen will share his insights and personal account of this critical event. He writes, "Three days after the June 12 election, Iran rises up. Full of fear, people descend toward the broad central avenue between Enquelab (Revolution) and Azadi (Freedom) Square. But when they see the vast crowd -- later estimated at 3 million people -- their fear evaporates. Seldom have dignity and silence achieved such power ... A banner says, 'Silence will win against the bullets. 'Ahmadinejad has called his opponents 'dust.' A man says to me: 'We are dust but we will blind him.' I ask a young woman her name. 'My name is Iran,' she says. Young and old, shopkeeper and student, men and women march side by side. ... One thing was clear that day: the Islamic Republic, 30 years after the Revolution, would never be quite the same." This event is the first in a series presented by the Graduate Student Council and the Social Activism Speaker Series. A Series on Iran: Struggle of a Nation. This event is made possible by the generous support from the Moore Hufstedler Fund. The Series on Iran: Struggle of a Nation is a forum aimed at bringing various perspectives in raising awareness of and encouraging dialogue on the recent events in Iran. For more information about this event or the series, please contact the Caltech Y at 626.395.6163 or email caltechy@caltech.edu