The Critical Thinking Forum (CTF), in collaboration with the ORIC, Alumni Office, Directorate of Student Affairs (F.C), Department of English, Department of Media and Communication Studies, and Department of Islamic Art and Architecture at IIUI, organized a special event featuring the documentary of a renowned speaker, writer, and filmmaker from the United States, Ms. Jennifer Hall Lee. Ms. Lee is visiting IIUI to conduct a project titled “Women without Borders: A Visual Study of Women’s Lives in Pakistan.” The project aims to establish a network for women’s empowerment where women may provide and receive mentoring, share advice to break stereotypes, and discuss possibilities to gain access to resources and opportunities for advancement in their careers.
The event commenced with a warm welcome extended to Ms. Jennifer H. Lee by Dr. Sumayya Chughtai (Incharge F.C), in the presence of Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Dean (FSS), Dr. Sadia (Students’ Advisor, F.C), Dr. Sonia (Incharge Alumni Office), Mr. Noman from ORIC, and the Chairpersons of the Departments of English, Media and Communication Studies, and Islamic Art and Architecture.
During the welcome tea, all the members representing IIUI’s administrative and academic leadership took a moment to introduce Ms. Lee to the university’s distinctive culture. They eloquently highlighted IIUI’s unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse educational environment where students from various backgrounds come together to weave a vibrant community. Moreover, they emphasized the university’s dedication to promoting critical thinking and fostering academic discourse, underscoring these principles as integral components of IIUI’s ethos. This introduction enriched Ms. Lee’s understanding of the institution and showcased IIUI’s values and mission to nurture an intellectually and culturally diverse academic community.
Under the supervision of Dr. Munazza Yaqoob, the project’s co-principal investigator (Co-PI), students from the Department of English accompanied Ms. Lee for a campus tour, allowing her to experience the lively atmosphere of IIUI. The highlight of the event was a screening of the documentary made by Ms. Lee.
The documentary presented Ms. Lee’s ongoing project and showcased the struggles of women in the United States. It provided a compelling visual study that offered unique insights into the challenges and triumphs of women in the country. The screening was well-attended by students and faculty members from the Department of English. Ms. Lee engaged in an interactive session with the students in the Auditorium (F.C), which provided students an opportunity to ask questions and have a thoughtful dialogue with the guest speaker. Ms. Lee shared her experiences and insights from her project, shedding light on the lives of women.
Ms. Lee also conducted interviews with faculty and students, which provided an invaluable opportunity for intellectual exchange and allowed her to gather different perspectives on the topic. The event promoted cross-cultural understanding of women’s lives in Pakistan and the United States.