8:30 – 9:30 Registration and Breakfast

9:30 – 10:30 Opening Ceremony
Principal’s address: Dr. Kenneth McRoberts
International Studies Department Address: Dr. Elisabeth Abergel
Glendon Independent Research Committee on Iran Address
Keynote Address: Dr. Reza Moridi, MPP Richmond Hill

10:45 -12:15 Morning Panels

Democracy and Civil Society in Iran
Dr. Mahmood Sadri – Women’s University of Texas
Dr. Alidad Mafinezam – Mosaic Institute. Toronto
Dr. Sharam Tabe –  University of Windsor,  Shahrvand Newspaper and Founder of the Toronto Diaspora Film Festival Massih Moayedi, University of Toronto

Iran in World and Regional Politics
Dr. Houchang Hassan- Yari- Royal Military College of Canada
Dr. Mahjoob Zweiri- Qatar University
Dr. Sabah Alnasseri- York University
Hamza Abdulbasit, DFAIT Iran bureau

Artistic Expressions in Iran and among the Iranian Diaspora
Behrouz Hariri- York University and Sheridan Institute, Graphic Designer
Reza Moghaddas- Azad University, Iran. Musician, producer and sound engineer
Sashar Zarif- York University, Founder of Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre, Canadian Academy of Azerbaijani Dance

12:30 -14:00 Lunch and Cultural Performance
Iranian cuisine by Zaffron Restaurant and Entertainment provided by Chakavak Ensemble

14:00- 14:30 Keynote Address: Dr. Payam Akhavan, McGill University

14:45 – 16:15 Afternoon Panels

Human Rights, Gender and Minority Issues in Iran
Nazanin Afshin- Jam -Founder and President, Stop Child Executions
Lily Pourzand- Shahid Beheshti University, Iran and Osgoode Hall Law School
Mina Yazdani- University of Toronto
Bahram Bahrami -Journalist, Writer and Translator
Dr. Nima Naghibi -Ryerson University

Economics, Social Policies and Energy in Iran
Dr. Kamran Dadkhah- Northeastern University, Boston
Dr. Roksana Bahramitash- Universite de Montreal
Dr. Farrokh Zandi -York Univeristy
Massih Moayedi -University of Toronto

Culture and Religions in Iran
Dr. Madhi Tourage- King’s University College of UWO
Dr. Shodja Eddin Ziaian-  Glendon College York University, York Centre for International and Security Studies
Dr. Ed Keall- University of Toronto and Senior Curator, Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)
Dr. Enrico G. Raffaelli- University of Toronto

16:30 – 16:50 Closing Ceremonies

18:30 – 21:30 Reception and arts exhibition opening at Arta Gallery

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Babak Amini -Composer, songwriter, and guitarist

THEATRE: Levon Haftvan – Theatre director, actor
Performing Tehran’s Parliamentary Elections

MUSIC: Reza Moghaddas and Salar Nobari
Performing songs from Bazaar Project

DANCE: Olga Barrios- Choreographer, Dancer.
Shahrokh Saeedi: Tar, Sina Khosravi: Tombak

MUSIC: Araz Salek and Friends

Note: Symposium Itinerary is subject to change. Keynote speakers, panelists and moderators to be confirmed