The Denison University Lecture Series will host Farooka Gauhari, an Afghan woman who lived under the Taliban regime, to discuss "Taking Off the Veil: Life During the Taliban." This All-College convocation, set for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Oct. 7) in Herrick Hall, is free and open to the public.

In 1997 Gauhari became the first Afghan woman to publish her memoirs in book form in English. Her account covers her personal experiences -- searching for her missing husband, watching Afghanistan topple and Afghan women's presence in politics shrink, witnessing the government institutionalize repression, deciding to leave the country with her family and creating a new life. Her experience typifies the kinds of human rights violations that have been practiced against many Afghans. Once flagged as an American agent in Afghanistan, she now fears retaliation in post-9/11 America because of her Afghan and Muslim ties.

Gauhari provides insight into topics related to ethnic groups in Afghanistan including the problems women face living in an Islamic society, the future government of Afghanistan and the role of women in rebuilding the country after the Taliban occupation.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

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Barbara Stambaugh

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Director, Media Relations

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(740) 587-8575