Noémi Ban Lecture Series

During World War II, approximately 1,000 Christian chaplains served the German military. What role did these Catholic priests and Protestant pastors play in the Holocaust? Drawing on a wide array of sources -- chaplains' letters, military reports, Jewish testimonies, photographs, and popular culture -- this lecture offers insight into how Christian clergy served the cause of genocide.

Drawing on his role as an expert witness at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in March 2016 and his extensive research in Cambodia, Professor Hinton will explore the entanglement of totalitarianism and inhumanity in the Cambodian genocide. He will also discuss how we can speak out against these atrocities.

Democracy is a system of governance that upholds the principles of equality, participation, and individual rights. A fundamental aspect of democratic societies is the freedom of religion, which allows individuals to practice, change, or abstain from religious beliefs without fear of persecution or discrimination. This freedom fosters a pluralistic environment where diverse faiths coexist, encouraging dialogue and mutual respect among different communities. By protecting faith communities and showing allyship we can continue to practice our democracy through Jewish-Muslim cooperation and building community.

Award-winning educator Prof. Mehnaz Afridi, is the Director of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan University. Dr. Afridi will discuss her work and how civic discourse and engagement through acknowledging one another's status as minority religious groups is possible.