LEWISTON — The Center for Wisdom’s Women will show the inspiring documentary, “Education Under Fire,” on Thursday, Feb. 28. The film, 30 minutes in length, will be shown at noon and 1:30 with discussion following each showing.

The film, endorsed by Amnesty International, is about the persecution of the Baha’i people in Iran, many of whom are women. It deals with the Iranian government’s denial of the right to higher education for the past 30 years for all of the members of its largest non-Muslim religious minority, the Baha’is.

In 1987, the semi-underground Baha’i Institute for Higher Education was formed to give young Baha’is their only chance for a university-level education. Despite repeated raids and arrests, volunteer teachers and administrators created an independent, decentralized university system that lifted the lives of thousands of Baha’i students across Iran.

In May 2011, an organized assault was launched by the Iranian government in an attempt to shut down the BIHE. More than 30 homes were raided and more than a dozen BIHE professors and administrators were detained. Several are still in prison for doing nothing more than trying to teach.

The film, which raises a grave human rights issue, is a powerful story of resilience against oppression and the need to respect human rights everywhere. Parivash Rohani and Crigen Richards from the local Baha’i community will be present to talk about their experiences and answer questions.

Participants are welcome to come during lunch hour and bring something to eat. Hot beverages and cookies will be available. For more information see www.educationunderfire.com.