Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to speak at Salisbury Cathedral on International Women’s Day

Monday, 10 February 2025 06:00

Former political prisoner and author Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe will be speaking at a special free event at Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday, 8 March, to mark International Women’s Day.

In conversation with The Rt Reverend Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne, the British-Iranian author will discuss her experiences as a political prisoner in Iran.

While on holiday in 2016, visiting her parents with her then 22-month-old daughter, she was arrested at Tehran airport on national security charges.

She was held for almost six years as a prisoner for diplomatic leverage as part of an ongoing geopolitical struggle dating back to the 1970s. Following a sustained public campaign by her husband, Richard, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was suddenly released in 2022.

On International Women’s Day, Nazanin will shine a light on her experiences, including her wrongful conviction through the Iranian justice system and life following her release. Beyond the press coverage, hear the remarkable and inspiring story of survival and hope. Hear about the other women facing similar injustices in the same prison and how we all have a role to play, using our voices to harness the power of community.

Nazanin is a project manager at Thomson Reuters Foundation and has previously worked for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the World Health Organisation in Iran.

This special event will be a unique opportunity to hear from a remarkable woman who has experienced huge injustice in the cathedral, which holds one of the original copies of the Magna Carta, the enduring symbol of social justice and freedom. As part of the evening, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe will take questions from the audience.

Earlier in the day, visitors can join tours and learn more about some of the remarkable women whose lives have been intertwined with the Cathedral’s history. ‘Wealth, Power, Passion’ tours will take place on Saturday, 8 March, at 11.45 am, 11.45 am, 2 pm and 3 pm and are included in general admission charges. The tour will look at Ela Longspee, who laid one of the foundation stones of the Cathedral in 1220, Alice Brewer, who gifted Purbeck stone from her quarry in Dorset to decorate the new Cathedral, and Katherine Grey, the younger sister of Lady Jane Grey.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, in conversation with The Rt Revd Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne, will take place at Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday, 8 March, at 7.30 pm. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance via the Cathedral website www.salisburycathedral.org.uk.

There will be a collection to support Salisbury Cathedral and the charity Hostage International.