Institute for Human Rights to host three free guest lectures this month

Lectures include cultivating compassion, the history of race and society in Nazi Germany and the Jim Crow South, and helping children in war-affected communities.

Written by: Tiffany Westry

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Human Rights graphicThis month, learn about the science behind cultivating compassion, the history of race and society in Nazi Germany and the Jim Crow south, and efforts to help provide assistance to children in war-affected communities at three lectures hosted by the UAB Institute for Human Rights. Each event is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Thupten Jinpa, Ph.D., translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama for 30 years, will discuss his current book, “A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to Be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives.” The book reveals how cultivating compassion supports good health, positive relationships and success, and provides practical steps to incorporate this into everyday life.

Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event, which will take place at the UAB Edge of Chaos, 1700 University Blvd., fourth floor of Lister Hill Library. The reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. The discussion will follow at 6:15.

Thursday-Friday, Feb. 22-23

The two-day symposium “Bystanders and Complicity in Nazi German and the Jim Crow South” will explore the histories of race and society in Nazi Germany and the Jim Crow South. The symposium is free and open to the public; however, registration is required. Events will be held from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday. To find more information or register, visit the event website. |

The symposium is co-organized with the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and is co-sponsored by the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center.

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Founder and executive director of War Child Canada, Samantha Nutt, M.D., will present a lecture titled “Where do we go from here? Lessons from the front lines of the world’s major crises” at 6 p.m. in the UAB Hill Student Center Ballroom, 1400 University Blvd. Nutt will share her personal stories from the front lines and discuss the impact of war throughout the world, by addressing what drives war and how to prevent it. The lecture, co-sponsored by The Altamont School, will challenge audiences to see the world in new ways, offering insights into modern geopolitics.

The UAB Institute for Human Rights is housed in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences. The institute was established in 2014 to serve as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars, educators, students and activists. Its mission is to raise awareness, engage in education, foster research and design initiatives for practical action, resulting in the promotion and protection of human and civil rights locally, nationally and globally. 

Learn more about the UAB Institute for Human Rights in this video, or visit the institute’s website