Educator workshop to explore background of ‘I am Malala’

The courageous story of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl who refused to be silenced by the Taliban, has inspired people around the world and has become a global symbol of peaceful protest.

malalaHer book I am Malala — which tells her story of surviving being shot in the head at point-blank range, at age 15, while riding the bus home from school — has generated widespread interest, including being selected as the the 2014-15 Go Big Read, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s common reading program.

To assist educators and librarians in using this book for educational purposes, the Center for South Asia and Go Big Read at UW-Madison are sponsoring a special workshop on “I am Malala: Exploring the History and Culture behind the Story.” It will be held Saturday, September 13, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Memorial Library on the UW-Madison campus.

At the workshop, a variety of speakers will address the historical and cultural realities of modern-day Pakistan, and book-discussion facilitators will explore using the book in classrooms.

The fee is $25, and includes a copy of I am Malala, morning and afternoon breaks, and lunch.

Participants may register online at http://intl-institute.wisc.edu/payment/malala2014/. The registration deadline is Tuesday, September 9.

For more information about this event, contact Rachel Weiss, assistant director of the Center for South Asia, at rweiss@southasia.wisc.edu or (608) 262-9224.