Zaoui Lecture To Be Delivered At Auckland University
Clash of Civilizations: Myth or Reality?
Date: 19 Oct 2004 Host: Ahmed Zaoui
Department: Political Studies
Venue: Room 039, the Clocktower
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Entering the country as a refugee escaping a death sentence from the brutal Algerian military regime, Ahmed Zaoui has
now spent almost two years in prison. While initially marked as having terrorist links by the government, the Refugee
Status Appeals Authority, the Human Rights Foundation and Amnesty International have all argued he is a refugee and
peace activist.
It is this controversy over his identity that has made Zaoui one of New Zealand's most talked about men. However, Zaoui
himself has been unable to answer to these claims, trapped in the media shutdown of Auckland's Central Remand Prison.
This will be one of the first opportunities to hear his voice in the public arena. In this lecture, Zaoui will draw from
his knowledge as a former Professor of Comparative Religious Studies on how the events of September 11, 2001 have
affected the Western perception of Islam.
The issues that he raises shed light not only on the Algerian situation, but also on the way the current international
climate has changed the face of New Zealand politics.
Zaoui's plight has the potential to impact on us all, touching on many of the cornerstone foundations of our society,
such as democracy, national security and multiculturalism. In the absence of Zaoui's attendance, Professor Andrew Sharp
from the Department of Political Studies will read his lecture, followed by a panel discussion and an opportunity to ask
questions.