Portland Public Library (PPL) and the Camden Conference continue their longstanding partnership to bring influential speakers and global perspectives to the Portland community. This year’s Camden Conference theme is "Today's Middle East: Power, Politics, and Players.” PPL will host three community events designed to complement and deepen engagement with the conference topic.

Series Events Include:

• Building Bridges with Fatima Saidi
  Thursday, December 11 | 5:30 – 7:00 pm | PPL Downtown Branch, Rines Auditorium
  Fatima Saidi is the Director of We Are All America (WAAA), a national immigrant and refugee advocacy organization. A powerful storyteller, Saidi uses narrative to build bridges, foster solidarity, and help shape a more welcoming America where everyone can thrive.  
• Silenced Whispers by Afarin Bellisario
  Thursday, January 29, 2026 | 5:30-7:00 pm | PPL Downtown Branch, Rines Auditorium
  Bellisario’s debut novel, Silenced Whispers, is a work of historical fiction set at the turn of the 20th century. The novel explores the internal and external pressures facing young women in Iran amid patriarchy, political change, and colonial forces.
• Repression in Iran with Parivash and Nasser Rohani
  Thursday, February 12, 2026 | 5:30-7:00 pm | PPL Downtown Branch, Rines Auditorium
  Parivash and Nasser Rohani are advocates of female empowerment and followers of the Bahá’í faith, Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority. Their program will examine Iran's history and its connections to the present day. The Rohanis will share poignant stories, which continue through the #ourstoryisone art initiative. “Together, these struggles reveal not only the suffering of marginalized groups but also the resilience of the Iranian people in their pursuit of justice and human dignity,” the Rohanis shared.

Each speaker uses storytelling to illuminate individual identity and agency within complex histories and cultural landscapes.

Reflecting on the series, Portland Public Library’s Business and Government Librarian, Sage Giamportone, said, in a news release: “My goal is to bring in speakers of varied interests and expertise who offer nuanced and complex understandings of categories so broad as 'power, politics, and players.’ I’m eagerly looking forward to each of these events.” 

About Portland Public Library

Portland Public Library is a welcoming cultural center that connects people with trusted resources, ideas, and experiences. With four public branches, a Bookmobile, and a robust selection of in-person and online programs and services, PPL fosters learning, creativity, and collaboration. Together, we help build a stronger, more connected community.

About The Camden Conference

Established in 1987, the nonprofit Camden Conference provides a non-partisan community forum that fosters in-depth discussion of foreign affairs through year-round programming and our signature multi-day annual conference each February.