Global Classroom Book Club
Global Classroom Book Club: The Heartbeat of Iran
October 12, 2021 4:00 – 6:00 PM PDT | Register here
Event description
This is a virtual program. The Zoom link and instructions on how to join the program will be sent the day before the event.
The Center for Global Studies and the World Affairs Council’s Global Classroom is excited to feature newly published work, The Heartbeat of Iran, written by award winning journalist, Tara Kangarlou, for our summer 2021 Global Classroom Book Club. As we continue to navigate the global pandemic, it is important that we acknowledge the the political and racial divides unearthed during this time and educate ourselves about the lived experiences of peoples around the world.
The Heartbeat of Iran showcases the everyday lives of the people of Iran focusing, not on the country’s, “delicate socio-cultural, political, and religious mosaic,’ but on the people who make up this mosaic and breathe life into the country. This work follows the lives of 24 regular Iranians and “offers an unprecedented insight into how people’s shared humanity, culture, and aspirations are far greater and more powerful than any rift and divide.”
Join us as we welcome author, Tara Kangarlou, to discuss her work and engage in conversation surrounding her experience in working to bridge cultural and political divides through storytelling.
About the author
Tara Kangarlou is an award-winning journalist who reports and produces breaking news reports, investigative pieces, and magazine-style print and broadcast stories on both domestic and international issues
She has reported, written and produced for CNN, CNN International, NBC, Huffington Post, Al Monitor, and Al Jazeera America. She has previously served as a Fellow at the East West Institute and is a frequent on-air contributor on various news outlets worldwide covering international affairs, humanitarian issues, and the Middle East. In her debut book, “The Heartbeat Of Iran” she captures some of the most nuanced and complex realities of life in today’s Iran through intimate and personal stories of everyday Iranians.
In recent years, she has spent much time in the Syrian border regions of Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan reporting and covering issues that impact Syrian refugees, host countries, and the Middle East at large. Ms. Kangarlou has also reported from Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh—the world’s largest refugee camp—covering the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims fleeing from Myanmar.
In 2016, having witnessed the horrible plight of war-torn refugees firsthand, Ms. Kangarlou launched Art of Hope, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization focused on helping Syrian refugees overcome the mental wounds of war and displacement through PTSD treatment, psychosocial support, and trauma-relief programming in the region. She is an outspoken advocate for refugees, war-torn children and ethnically persecuted minorities.
Ms. Kangarlou was born and raised in Tehran, Iran until her late teens. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from UCLA and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from USC. She is based in London.
For participants
All participants will receive a copy of the book, resources to accompany the themes discussed in the book. Washington State educators will receive 4 free clock hours as well.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to rhauck@world-affairs.org or jpatterson@world-affairs.org. Register now! Space is limited.
This program is co-sponsored by the Center for Global Studies at the University of Washington and the World Affairs Council’s Global Classroom.