Special Events
The CSRS hosts a range of special events including conferences, symposia, tours, and one-off lectures, often in collaboration with other UVic departments, community organizations, or affiliates.
March 19, 2026
Distinguished Lecutre in Islam with Zufikar Hurji
Hidden Heritage: Decorated Qur'ans from Coastal East Africa
Zulfikar Hirji is Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at York University. His research explores the creative production of knowledge by Muslims in historical and contemporary contexts with a focus on East Africa and the Indian Ocean.
March 26, 2026
Artist in Residence 2026 Gala with Neil Griffin and Melanie Siebert
Neil Griffin is a writer and former wildlife biologist.
He's the author of many essays on wilderness and
nature, two poetry chapbooks, and a forthcoming
memoir--Endings: Encounters with Extinction. His
Artist-in-Residence project looks at roadtrips as a
form of pilgrimage.
Melanie Siebert is the author of two award-winning
poetry collections: Signal Infinities and Deepwater Vee.
Drawing on decades as a guide on remote northern
rivers, her new work explores testaments of deep
time: single-celled creatures and their chemical
records; bubbles of ancient air stored in ice cores; and
moraines and chatter marks left by glaciers in retreat.
Past Special Events
Can We Talk
MEICON-BC events
The Middle East and Islamic Consortium of British Columbia (MEICON-BC) is a collaborative project of Simon Fraser University (Centre for the Comparative Study of Muslim Societies and Cultures), the University of Victoria, and the University of British Columbia. The University of Victoria hosts UVic MEICON, a sub-group of the larger MEICON-BC collective.
- 14th Annual MEICON-BC Student Conference on the Middle East and the Islamic World (March, 2024)
Distinguished Lecture in Islam
The CSRS presents lectures from an eminent scholar working in fields related to Islamic studies. A fund supporting this lecture series was established in 2007 by an anonymous donor who wished to increase the community's understanding of Islam.
Other Events
March 15th, 2019 -- "Religion and its Others: Power, Sovereignty, and Politics in Indian Religions Past and Present" Sponsored by the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute. Please click here for the symposium agenda.