Mohammad Khatami

When Mohammad Khatami became the fifth President of Iran, in 1997, his victory was viewed as a rejection of the increasing controls on public and private life that the Islamic government had imposed, starting with the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Khatami's would be a more open government. Reporting on his "almost unimaginable triumph," The New York Times wrote. During his years in office, he lived up to this promise. He fought to limit controls on citizens' rights; sought economic openness; encouraged a free press; suspended, in 2003, all nuclear research; and worked on building a truly civil society. The United Nations, on Khatami's suggestion, proclaimed 2001 "The Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations."

Born in Ardakan-Yazd, Iran, Khatami graduated from the University of Tehran, and studied theology at Qom and Isfahan. In 1979, he became head of the Hamburg Islamic Center in Germany. In 1980, returning to Iran, he was elected to Parliament; he also ran Kayhan, Iran's leading newspaper, in 1981. From 1982 - 1992, he was elected the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance. In 1992, while serving as dean of the National Library of Iran, he was appointed advisor to the President. He was elected as President five years later and was re-elected in 2001; he served until 2005. Recently, Khatami initiated the idea of a "Dialogue Among Civilizations," which has been endorsed by world leaders and the United Nations.

Speech Topics 1. Among Civilizations

• Among Civilizations: An Evening With Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami

  Mohammad Khatami is a towering figure whose place in history is assured. On stage, he speaks with grace, and great moral conviction, on the need for all of us, as citizens of the world, to find common ground. Highly respected by world leaders, who constantly invite him to participate in dialogue, Khatami can talk with great accuracy and insight about pressing international concerns. Most of all, he offers hope. Not blind hope borne of false optimism. But rather a thoughtful, pragmatic hope that will help us overcome the seemingly intractable tensions that divide many of us along political, religious, and societal lines. As one of the most audacious leaders of his generation, he instills in audiences a feeling that, far from the dour headlines, meaningful dialogue among the world's citizens is taking place. An evening with Khatami is an unforgettable experience, a chance to witness, firsthand, a world leader who has dedicated his life to inspiring others toward a just, tolerant, and civil society.