Progressive Muslims Honor Tunisia's President, KCET, Human Rights Defenders in Hollywood, Feb 10

LOS ANGELES - Feb. 7, 2019 - PRLog -- On February 10^th at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood, Muslims for Progressive Values—an L.A.-based NGO founded in 2007—will award Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi with the Fatima al-Fihri Visionary Award. Tunisia sparked the "Arab Spring" and leads the way among Muslims nations. MPV salutes Essebsi for his initiative calling for equal inheritance rights for women and men in the Muslim world. MPV will also recognize several Muslim human rights defenders.

Each year, in a gala event titled Celebration of Life, MPV honors human rights defenders in the Muslim world jailed, tortured or killed for promoting egalitarian values, freedom of expression or freedom of religion.

In addition, in 2019 MPV recognizes public television station KCET for its insightful community programming with "Fine Cut", giving exposure to issues affecting Los Angelinos.  Receiving the award on behalf of KCET is producer Angela Boisvert.

In a poetic and musical tribute, MPV calls for the immediate release of Saudi women such as Loujain Al-Hathloul and others who have been jailed and tortured for their women's rights advocacy, including the right to drive. MPV will honor Masih Alinejad, the Iranian journalist and author who launched #MyStealthyFreedom (https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/mystealthyfreedom), a Facebook page that invites Iranian women to post pictures of themselves without a hijab which sparked the current protests of Iranian women taking their hijabs off in public.

MPV also honors Sudanese reformer Mahmoud Mohammed Taha, killed in 1985 by the government for his advocacy for separation of religion and state, for women's rights, and his opposition of Sharia law.

MPV operates in 8 cities in the United States and is a founding member of Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (https://www.aim.ngo/), or AIM, an umbrella organization spanning 13 countries and 17 cities.

Celebration of Life, Sunday, February 10, 2019 at the Harmony Gold Theatre, 7655 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90046.  Program: 3:30 to 5:00 pm followed by a reception. Student tickets: $60; General tickets $100.

Media contact: Yasmin Kadir, yasmin@mpvusa.org, or call 323.452.2912. To request a media pass, please email events@mpvusa.org and include your credentials.