Monia Mazigh in conversation with Alex Neve on "Hope and Despair"

Join author Monia Mazigh for the Ottawa launch of the new edition of Hope and Despair: My Struggle to Free My Husband from a Black Site.

Join Mawenzi House Publishers for the Ottawa launch of the new edition of Monia Mazigh’s Hope and Despair: My Struggle to Free My Husband from a Black Site with a substantial new forward reflecting on 25 years after the beginning of the War on Terror.

Monia Mazigh will be in conversation with renowned human rights advocate Alex Neve for a timely discussion about the book, human rights, justice, national security, and the enduring consequences of the War on Terror.

Twenty-five years after the beginning of the War on Terror, Hope and Despair returns to a story that remains deeply relevant. In this powerful memoir, Mazigh recounts her fight to secure the freedom of her husband, Maher Arar, after he was detained by U.S. authorities and rendered to Syria, where he was imprisoned and tortured.

Through a deeply personal account of fear, uncertainty, family, political advocacy, and perseverance, Mazigh examines the human consequences of injustice while telling a remarkable story of courage and resistance.

Join us for an evening of conversation and reflection as Monia Mazigh and Alex Neve revisit this pivotal period, discuss its continuing relevance, and celebrate the release of this important new edition.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 6:00PM
Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
290 Lisgar Street, Ottawa, ON

Come meet the author, discover the story behind Hope and Despair, and join an important conversation about justice, human rights, memory, and resistance.

Presented by Mawenzi House Publishers and Octopus Books.