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20 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 25, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Marina Nemat - Keynote Speaker Growing ATHENA Oakville through sposorship Marina Nemat was born in 1965 in Tehran, Iran. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she was arrested at the age of sixteen and spent more than two years in Evin, a political prison in Tehran, where she was tortured and came very close to execution. She came to Canada in 1991 and has called it home ever since. In 2005, she was a finalist in the CBC Literary Awards in the Creative Non-Fiction Category, and in 2006, she produced a documentary named Walls like Snakes for CBC Radio. Her memoir of her life in Iran, Prisoner of Tehran, was published in Canada by Penguin Canada in April 2007, has so far been published in 23 other countries, and has been an international bestseller. MacLean's Magazine has called it "...one of the finest (memoirs) ever written by a Canadian." Prisoner of Tehran has been short listed for many literary awards, including the Young Minds Award in the UK and the Borders Original Voices Award in the US. On December 15, 2007, Marina received the inaugural Human Dignity Award from the European Parliament, and in October 2008, she will receive the prestigious Grinzane Prize in Italy. She is now an Aurea Fellow at University of Toronto's Massey College, where she began working on her new project, which is about the effects of torture on children, in June 2008. GOLD The Oakville Beaver SILVER First Canadian Title · As it Happens Photography · Julia Ristorante · Celebrations Event Planning BRONZE Vision Source Office of Dr. Ronald Gall · Sun Life Financial · Via Rail Mary Cardamone - Royal Le Page Real Estate IN KIND New Concept Art & Framing · Oakville Chamber of Commerce Municipality of Halton · Success by Design · Ada's Flowers · Zonta Club of Oakville Athena would like to thank all the sponsors who make the awards possible. We couldn't do it without you ATHENA Oakville Steering Committee RONALD GALL - Co-chair LINDA STALKER - Co-chair DIANA SAULEZ - Past Chair BIANCA TINO GAETANI - Treasurer ANN BROWN - Secretary CHERYL BLAKE - Sponsorship Chair DEDE HACKING - Scholarship Co-chair NANCY JACKY - Selection Chair CINDY POPP - Scholarship Co-chair LORRAINE MCMULLEN - Gala Chair MICHELLE PENMAN -Marketing/Communication Chair LISA PROKOPETZ - Special Projects/Wordsmith LIANA RENWICK PALMERIO - Nomination Chair BETTY WOOD - Governance Chair a proud supporter of ATHENA Awards Congratulations to all the 2008 nominees and this year's ATHENA recipient for all your outstanding contributions to the community. Watch the ATHENA Oakville Nominees show on 905-338-3873 November 5, at 9:00pm. Go to www.tvcogeco.com for other air dates. Congratulations to the 2008 Oakville ATHENA Award Winner! You inspire others with your leadership and determination. Finials Cu stom r eco Gifts & Home D Kevin Flynn, MPP Oakville Community Office 2330 Lakeshore Road W., Unit #2 Oakville ON L6L 1H3 Tel: 905-827-5141 Fax: 905-827-3786 kflynn.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org