PORTLAND — The Portland Public Library will host author Afarin Bellisario, PhD, for a talk on her debut historical novel, Silenced Whispers, on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The event, presented in partnership with the Camden Conference, will explore the historical tensions between modernity and tradition in Iran.

Bellisario’s presentation will provide a brief history of modern Iran and examine how historical forces continue to shape present-day conflicts. Her talk will move beyond the legacy of the Iranian Revolution to discuss the influence of earlier foreign intervention and imperial competition, including Russo-British involvement in the region.

“People seeing a tsunami don’t realize that it had started miles away in the middle of the ocean,” said Bellisario, in a Portland Public Library news release. “The conflict between modernity and tradition, now turning to violence, started a long time ago. That’s why my novel and my talk are timely.”

Set in the early 20th century, Silenced Whispers follows a young woman navigating the pressures of patriarchy and colonialism in Iran. The novel blends historical fiction with magical realism drawn from Persian, Arabic, and European storytelling traditions.

“The present cannot be understood without the past, nor can the past be understood outside of the present,” said Sage Giamportone, Business & Government Reference Librarian at the Portland Public Library. “In the midst of world-changing conflict, Afarin’s storytelling helps illuminate the historical context behind headline-grabbing news.”

The event will include a presentation followed by a Q&A with the author. It is free and open to the public.

More information is available at https://portlandme.librarycalendar.com/event/camden-conference-silenced-whispers-7721

About Portland Public Library

Portland Public Library is a welcoming cultural center that brings people together and connects them with trusted resources, ideas, experiences, and information. We build a stronger community by inspiring learning, creativity, and collaboration.

About The Camden Conference

The Camden Conference was founded in 1987 as a nonprofit, non-partisan educational organization whose mission is to foster informed discourse on world issues. The 2025 Camden Conference will look at some of the specific drivers that challenge democracies around the world, including immigration, religious nationalism, the role of polarization and disinformation, and the failure of progressive reforms to remedy economic inequality.