On March 9th, SIA held its first event, an academic talk on the topic, “Imam Hussain and Islam: the Ideals of Human Dignity and Justice”, presented at the UT campus. Speaker Maulana Sulayman Hassan of Washington D.C presented the tragedy of Karbala and the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (a.s.), and related Hussain's message as being a focal point for all human beings and emphasized Imam's purpose to protect Islam's identity. The audience of 80 people included both Muslims and non-Muslims. Despite the short amount of time they had to prepare for the event, the organizers were pleased with the overall program. “I value the way everyone played a role, offering help however they could towards a common effort. I am convinced that in the end it is this teamwork and dedication that will take us places,” said Fatemeh Sahrapour, the main Co-coordinator of the event.

A question and answer session followed the lecture, and the program ended with interaction among audience, speaker, and the SIA members as they enjoyed some special Middle Eastern food and drinks. For the future, SIA plans to continue with such programs, holding lectures, discussion, and other activities to fulfill its purposes emphasizing self development, outreach to the community, dialogue, and understanding of the message of Quran and Ahlul Bayt.

Check out the links below for some imagery, as well as literature that was handed out for and during the event.