LITERATURE + LECTURES

The World Affairs Council of Houston presents a Young Professionals Dinner:   The Youth of Pakistan,  Thursday, October 15, at
Ouisie's Table, in the Cooper's Bin Wine Room, 3939 San Felipe.

Guest Speaker: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (pictured), Filmmaker.

Documentary filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy examines the plight of Pakistan’s poorest children, revealing how the Taliban are recruiting increasingly young fighters. She interviews a 14-year-old boy in Karachi who’s desperate to become a suicide bomber. She meets a Taliban commander who takes children as young as five from small madrassas in deprived neighborhoods. Brutalized by poverty, radicalized by indoctrination and war, is this generation Pakistan’s future?

Born in Karachi, Sharmeen Obaid- Chinoy was the first woman in her Pakistani family to receive a Western education. Obaid-Chinoy graduated from Smith College with a bachelor of arts in economics and government and then went to complete two master’s degrees from Stanford University in international policy studies and communication. She is the first non-American journalist to be awarded the prestigious Livingston Award and the youngest recipient of the One World Media broadcast journalist of the year award in the United Kingdom. Her work has earned her major awards in broadcast journalism including the Overseas Press Club Award, The American women and Radio and Television award, The Cine Golden Eagle Award, The Banff TV Rockie award and the South Asian Journalist Award.

Visit www.sharmeenobaidfilms.com for information.