Promoting Dialogue on Campuses – Past Events



AHA Foundation’s Critical Thinking Fellowship (CTF) promotes liberty for all on college campuses across North America.


In conjunction with our partner Ideas Beyond Borders, our fellows host impartial debates and events at their schools about cultural, religious and policy issues with the aim of supporting ideological diversity, combating extremism, and raising awareness of human rights issues around the world.


November 23, 2023

Ayaan Hirsi Ali Discusses The Future of Free Speech in the West

Watch: Event Description: Our University of Central Florida fellow Hanna Nour hosted our Founder and fearless human rights […]
March 14, 2023

The University of Georgia: Hate Speech, Counterspeech, and the First Amendment

Watch: Event Description: Nadine Strossen, author of “HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship”, […]
February 15, 2023

Peter Boghossian: How to Have Impossible Conversations, a Very Practical Guide – Two Day Event

  Watch: Event Description: On February 14th, 2023, the University of Central Florida welcomed Peter Boghossian for a […]
May 12, 2022

Child Marriage in America – A conversation with Fraidy Reiss, Survivor of Forced Marriage

Watch: Event Description: Fraidy Reiss is a forced marriage survivor turned activist. She was 19 when she was […]
April 29, 2022

Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Yasmine Mohammed: Two ex-Muslims on Women’s Rights in Islam

Watch: Event Description: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, founder of the AHA Foundation, and Yasmine Mohammed, ex-Muslim and women’s rights […]
January 26, 2022

The Status of Free Speech on College Campuses – Conversations with Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Watch: Event Description: AHA Foundation’s campus program, the Critical Thinking Fellowship, hosted a virtual event with our founder, […]
January 25, 2022

How silence on women’s rights is an accomplice to oppression – Conversations with Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Watch: Event Description: Ayaan Hirsi Ali spoke to students at Yale University on what we can do in […]
January 25, 2022

The legal form of child abuse happening in the U.S. – Conversations with Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Watch: Event Description: AHA Foundation’s campus program, the Critical Thinking Fellowship, hosts a virtual event with our founder, […]
November 11, 2021

Drexel University: Female Genital Mutilation is Child Abuse

Watch: Event Description: On May 26, 2021, F.A. Cole spoke to the students at Utah State University about […]
May 26, 2021

Utah State University: The Battle for Free Speech in the 21st Century

Event Description: The Battle for Free Speech in the 21st Century was a webinar concerning the multifaceted threats […]
May 19, 2021

The University of Central Florida: Women as Agents of Change Against the Forced Hijab

Watch: Event Description: Faisal Saeed Al Mutar interviewed Masih Alinejad on the status of women’s rights in Iran […]
May 12, 2021

California State Northridge: Child Marriage in California

Watch: Event Description: Speakers Fraidy Reiss, Forced Marriage survivor and Founder of Unchained at Last, and Amanda Parker, […]
April 29, 2021

North Carolina State University: FGM/C The Hidden Practice That Changes Lives

Watch: Event Description: Speakers F.A. Cole, FGM survivor, Mariya Taher, FGM survivor and Sahiyo Founder, Amanda Parker, AHA […]
March 15, 2021

University of Connecticut: Free Speech and Minority Rights: Perspectives of a Danish Blasphemer and an American Homosexual

Watch: Event Description:  This panel, “Free Speech and Minority Rights: Perspectives of a Danish Blasphemer and an American […]
February 11, 2021

Ohio University: How Can We End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)? A survivor’s perspective

Watch: Event Description:  Nimco Ali is a British Somali feminist, social activist, and survivor of female genital mutilation […]
November 5, 2020

American University: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: How One Woman Turned Her Pain into Advocacy

Watch:   Event Description:  A survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM), child sexual assault, and rape, F.A. Cole […]
October 7, 2020

Surviving Child Marriage in the United States: Yes, it happens here too. Legally.

Event Description: This event screened a short film called “Speaking Frankly: Child Marriage” by CBS Originals and featured […]
February 26, 2020

Film Screening at The University of Pennsylvania: Islam and the Future of Tolerance

Event Description: On February 26, 2020 College Republicans, with support from CTF, screened Islam and the Future of […]
February 22, 2020

Harvard University: Make America Dinner Again (MADA) Roundtable Discussion

Event Description: On February 22, 2020, ten students with diverging viewpoints at Harvard University gathered to eat dinner […]
November 5, 2019

Female Genital Mutilation: A Survivor’s Story at Texas Tech University

Video Link:   Event Description:   Female Genital Mutilation: A Survivor’s Story took place Tuesday, November 5 at […]
October 1, 2019

The (Transformative) Power of Women at Pepperdine University

Video Link:   Event Description:   After facing repeated attempts, some of which were successful, to ban her […]
September 12, 2019

Books Not Bombs: Translating the Western Canon for the Islamic World at University of Texas at Austin

Video Link:   Event Description:   On September 12, 2019, Faisal Saeed Al-Mutar gave a lecture about the […]
April 23, 2019

HATE: Why We Should Combat It with Free Speech, Not Censorship, at University of Notre Dame

Video Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheCriticalThinkingUnit/videos/3162040067155489/   Event Description:   Nadine Strossen, the youngest-ever and first female serving president of the […]
April 16, 2019

Preventing FGM in the U.S. and North Carolina, at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Video Link:   Event Description:   AHA Senior Director Amanda Parker spoke to students at the University of […]
March 31, 2019

Facing Forced Marriage in America, Nina Van Harn at Stanford University

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTJfJNe82Qs&feature=youtu.be   Event Description:   Nina Van Harn, forced marriage survivor and the winner of the […]
March 28, 2019

Nadine Strossen at York University, “Social Justice and Free Speech: Dismantling Hate through Dialogue”

Video Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheCriticalThinkingUnit/videos/281181346111601/   Event Description: Nadine Strossen, the youngest-ever and first female serving president of the American […]
March 21, 2019

Panel: “Religious Extremism in the Middle East” at the University of Rochester

Video Link:     Event Description: On Thursday, March 21 the University of Rochester College Republicans and Ahmadiyya […]
February 26, 2019

Dr. Deborah Ottenheimer at Vassar College, “The Medical Side of Child Marriage and Human Trafficking”

Written by Vassar College CTF fellow, Grace Roebuck   On February 26th, an audience made up of both […]
February 22, 2019

Film Screening at Columbia University: Islam and the Future of Tolerance

Video Link:   Event Description:   On February 22nd, Columbia Colloquia, with support from CTF, screened Islam and […]
February 21, 2019

Film Screening at the University of Cincinnati: Islam and the Future of Tolerance

Event Description:   On February 21st, fellows at the University of Cincinnati, with support from CTF, screened Islam […]
February 20, 2019

Dr. Ellen Gruenbaum and F.A. Cole at the University of Michigan, “FGM Beyond Borders”

Video Link:   Event Description:   FGM Beyond Borders was a discussion focused on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): […]
November 29, 2018

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Jacob Mchangama at Columbia University, “Blasphemy”

Watch highlight:   Event Description:   By Columbia CTF fellow Serena Killion:   On October 28, Danish human […]
November 27, 2018

Dr. Deborah Ottenheimer at the University of Cincinnati, “End FGM”

Event Description:   “End Female Genital Mutilation” was a presentation on what Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is, where […]
November 27, 2018

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Christopher Preble at George Washington University, “Does Islamic Extremism require US Military Intervention?”

Video link:   Event Description: On November 27th, 2018, students and outside guests gathered at George Washington University […]
November 26, 2018

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Muhammad Frasier-Rahim at the University of North Carolina, “Countering Extremism in the Age of Polarization”

Video Link: Event Description: “Countering Extremism in the Age of Polarization” was a conversation between Dr. Muhammad Fraser-Rahim […]
November 13, 2018

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Nadia Oweidat at York University, “Preventing Extremism Before It Takes Root”

Video:   Event Description: Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, an Iraqi-born award-winning human rights activist, writer and counter extremism […]
November 1, 2018

Dr. Tawfik Hamid at Dartmouth College, “Critical Thinking and the Ideological Battle Against Radical Islam”

Video:   Event Description: Dr. Tawfik Hamid, M.D., is a journalist and scholar, originally from Egypt, and the […]
November 1, 2018

Amanda Parker and Angela Peabody at American University, “FGM in the U.S.: A Call to Action”

Video Link: Event Description: “FGM in the U.S.: A Call to Action” was a presentation on what Female […]
October 24, 2018

Ani Zonneveld and Blair Imani at the University of Michigan, “Minority Muslims in the Media”

  Video Link:  https://www.facebook.com/IdeasBorders/videos/2115348931831841/ Event Description: “Minority Muslims in the Media” was a discussion of representation of Muslims, […]
October 13, 2018

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Yasmine Mohammed at Harvard University, “Fight for Justice Conference”

Event Description: Written by Harvard CTF fellow Natalie Le The Students for Liberty “Fight for Justice” conference focused […]
October 9, 2018

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Zachary Wood at Columbia University, “Shattering the Echo Chamber”

Video Link: Event Description: On October 9, 100 attendees, made up of both Columbia students and outside guests, […]
May 22, 2018

Yasmine Mohammed and Faisal Al Mutar at Stanford University, “Muslims, Islamists and Jihadis: What’s the Difference?”

Event Description:   Human rights activists Faisal Saeed  Al Mutar and Yasmine Mohammed hosted a conversation about the […]
April 26, 2018

The Red Sand Gala at Vassar College

Event Description:   The Red Sand Gala was a night dedicated to advocacy and awareness on human trafficking. […]
April 23, 2018

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser at the University of Notre Dame, “Taking on the Islamist Establishment”

YouTube video of full event: “Taking on the Islamist Establishment” Event Description: M. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., is the […]
April 19, 2018

“Dissent from Minorities Within Minorities” – Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, Flemming Rose, Mustafa Akyol and Jacob Mchangama at Harvard University

Event Description: This panel, “Dissent from Minorities Within Minorities” featured Mustafa Akyol, Faisal Saeed Al Mutar and Flemming […]
April 17, 2018

Yasmine Mohammed at Harvard University, “From Al-Qaeda to Atheism”

AHA YouTube Clip “People have rights, ideas don’t have rights” Event Description: Yasmine Mohammed spoke for roughly an […]
April 10, 2018

Dr. Elham Manea at Stanford University, “Radicalized at 16: The Dangers of Non-Violent Extremism”

Watch: Event Description: Dr. Elham Manea is a Swiss-Yemeni Muslim reformer, human rights activist and academic who researches […]
April 7, 2018

Dr. Elham Manea at Portland State University, “Radical to Rational: The Dangers of Non-Violent Extremism”

YouTube video of Full Event Event Description: Dr. Elham Manea is a Swiss-Yemeni Muslim reformer, human rights activist […]
April 4, 2018

Dr. Elham Manea at the University of Cincinnati, “Radicalized at 16: The Dangers of Non-Violent Extremism”

YouTube Clip: “I have the right to criticize my religion” Event Description: Dr. Elham Manea is a Swiss-Yemeni […]
April 2, 2018

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser at Duke University, “The American-Muslim Identity: Patriot or Insurgent?”

Event Description: Dr. Zudhi Jasser, an expert on Islamism and a former Naval officer, spoke at Duke University […]