EVENT:
World-renowned advocate for women survivors of war Zainab Salbi will speak on "Strong Women, Strong Nations" at a special ceremony honoring her with the 2005 Human Security Award. Salbi is author of the recently released Between Two Worlds: Escape From Tyranny -- Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam, which chronicles her childhood in Iraq, where her father was a pilot for Saddam Hussein. Salbi is founder and CEO of Women for Women International, which helps women in war-torn regions become self-sufficient. Introducing Salbi will be anti-landmine activist Heather Mills McCartney, who received the Human Security Award in 2004.

WHEN:
3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, 2005

WHERE:
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies, UCI campus.
Campus map: www.uci.edu/campusmap

INFORMATION:
Tickets are $75 and include the lecture and reception. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Proceeds support the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs and the Heather Mills McCartney Fellowship in Human Security. For tickets or information: (949) 824-8804 or cusa@uci.edu. More: http://www.cusa.uci.edu/zainab_salbi.htm.

BACKGROUND:
Zainab Salbi is an Iraqi native whose father was chosen to serve as Saddam Hussein's personal pilot. Salbi and her family were often forced to spend weekends with Hussein while he watched their every move. Her mother eventually sent Salbi to the U.S. for an arranged marriage, but the marriage turned out to be another world of tyranny and abuse. Salbi started over, forging a new identity as a champion of women survivors of war. She founded Women for Women International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing women who live in regions of conflict with the tools and resources they need to become self-sufficient, active citizens who can promote peace and stability. Women for Women International's programs have helped 52,000 women and more than 140,000 of their family members, and distributed nearly $21 million in direct aid and small loans.

Heather Mills McCartney is a patron of Adopt-A-Minefield and a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador who has campaigned for more than 14 years to raise funds and awareness to rid the world of landmines.

This event is sponsored by the Coalition Advocating Human Security, a program of UCI's Center for Unconventional Security Affairs. The coalition addresses threats to human security and identifies strategies to protect and empower the most vulnerable individuals and communities. CUSA's Human Security Award was created in 2004 to recognize the efforts of extraordinary individuals who make contributions to protecting and empowering the world's most vulnerable people.

CUSA was founded by Associate Professor Richard Matthew to address the security challenges of the 21st century through innovative research and education programs that integrate experts from the public and private sectors.