Author to Speak About Muslim Principle of Nonviolence

Amitabh Pal, the author of “Islam Means Peace: Understanding the Muslim Principle of Nonviolence Today,” will make a presentation on the same subject Thursday, Feb. 23, at the University of Central Florida.

Pal, who is also the managing editor of The Progressive, will speak at 3 p.m. in the Garden Key Room of the Student Union. His presentation is a feature of the Al Ghazali Islamic Studies Program, housed in the UCF Global Perspectives Office, in partnership with the UCF College of Arts & Humanities. It is free and open to the public.

The event, organized by the UCF Global Perspectives Office, is also part of the 2011-2012 themes of “People Power, Politics and Global Change,” “Covering Global Crises from the Frontlines” and “India Speaker Series.”

In this book, Pal seeks to rebut many misconceptions about Islam by detailing its tradition of nonviolence. He chooses to incorporate modern Muslim societies in his analysis by spotlighting recent peaceful protest movements.

Pal is also the co-editor of the Progressive Media Project. In his work, he has interviewed many newsmakers, such as the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter and John Kenneth Galbraith.

In addition to the Global Perspectives Office and the Al Ghazali Islamic Studies Program, sponsors and partners include the UCF Middle Eastern Studies Program, the UCF Political Science Department, the UCF Diplomacy Program, the UCF Nicholson School of Communication, the UCF Book Festival 2012 in association with the Morgridge International Reading Center, the UCF International Services Center, UCF LIFE and the Global Connections Foundation.