New York University’s Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The West and its Institute of French Studies will co-host “Islam et modernité: comment être musulman au XXIème siècle?” [“Islam and Modernity: How to be a Muslim in the 21st Century?”], a lecture in French by Professor Mohamed Charfi, on Wed., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. NYU’s La Maison Française (16 Washington Mews [at University Place]). The lecture will be delivered in French.
A leading proponent of intellectual reform within Islam, Charfi is an emeritus professor of law at the University of Tunis, former president of the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights, and former minister of education in Tunisia. Most recently Charfi has been appointed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as one of 18 members of a High Level Group to guide the UN’s initiative on an Alliance of Civilizations.
The event is free and open to the public, which may RSVP to 212.998.3656 or smk394@nyu.edu. Reporters interested in attending should contact James Devitt, Office of Public Affairs, at 212.998.6808 or james.devitt@nyu.edu.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
A program of New York University, Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The West emerged from the tragedy of September 11th, which highlighted the need for greater communication among and about the United States, Europe, and the Muslim world. Dialogues was founded as a forum for constructive debate between the various religious, intellectual, economic, and political sectors of American, European, and Islamic societies. The program brings contentious issues between the Islamic world and the West into a more rational plane and promotes this approach to a wide audience, including the important constituencies of policy and decision-makers, policy analysts, the media, and educational institutions.
The Institute of French Studies at New York University is a multi-disciplinary center for the study of nineteenth- and twentieth-century France with innovative graduate programs that emphasize French culture, history, politics, economics, and society.