DETROIT, June 7, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Dr. Naba Saleem Hamid, founder of the non-profit New Horizons for Women, will present "Planting Hope for our Future" at Marygrove College on Sunday, June 19, 2005, from 2:30 till 5:30 p.m. This interactive discussion about the plight of Iraqi women is sponsored by the Masters in Social Justice Program and is free and open to the public.
Dr. Hamid is a Professor of Parisitology and Invertebrate Biology in the College of Education at the University of Baghdad. Besides being a scientist and educator, Professor Hamid is a trainer and feminist at a time when tumultuous political, social and personal upheaval is a daily reality in Iraq.
In 1982, her doctoral thesis was suspended as a resolution by the former Ba'ath regime and she was subsequently prohibited from pursuing all scientific research and related activities.
In September 2003, she founded New Horizons for Women and registered the organization with the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Co-Operation. New Horizons assists Iraqi women and girls from age 11.
Detroit will be Dr. Hamid's first stop on a multi-city tour that includes East Lansing, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, San Diego, Boston, and Toronto, Canada.
Marygrove professor and head of the Social Justice program, Dr. Brenda Bryant, said, "Bringing this dedicated justice advocate to Detroit is an honor for Marygrove. She has fought against the odds, under the Saddam Hussein regime and in the current social, economic and religious upheaval, in her country. Her visit will inform and inspire us."
Members of the Detroit area peace and justice community are joining Marygrove in bringing Dr. Hamid to our community, among them: Thomas J. Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit; Michigan Coalition for Human Rights; U.S. Peace Council -- Michigan Chapter; Peace Action of Michigan; Cranbrook Peace Foundation; Center for Peace & Conflict Studies at Wayne State University; Peace and National Priorities Center of Oakland County; and Peace x Peace Sister Circle.
Marygrove College offers the only Master's degree in Social Justice in the nation in which students learn and promote social justice/change. It provides for analysis and reflection in the ways of thinking, the values, assumptions and the actions that maintain the economic, political and cultural structures that shape our lives. W Marygrove is located at 8425 W. McNichols Rd. in Detroit. More than 1,200 students attend classes in its undergraduate and graduate programs in education, business, human resource management, social justice, social work, science, theater, music and the fine arts. Call 313-927-1200 or visit www.marygrove.edu.