The Davis Community Human Rights Lectures 2014-15 start this week with a talk by Physicians for Human Rights’ Syria adviser Adrienne Fricke.

In a newly announced partnership, International House Davis and the UC Davis Human Rights Initiative are hosting the series.

"This lecture series will bring to the university and the community distinguished scholars and practitioners in the fields of human rights, humanitarianism and genocide studies,” Keith David Watenpaugh, associate professor of religious studies, said in a news release.

He said each speaker will spend time with UC Davis undergraduates and graduate students taking courses and seminars in the university¹s expanding offerings in Human Rights Studies and then give a talk at the I-House for members of the Davis community.

Liz McCapes, president of the International House board of directors, said: “We hope members of the Davis community will be able to join us for some or all of the events and ask that you please share our invitation as widely as possible.”

All lectures are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the I-House Community Room.

Wednesday, Oct. 29 — “Attacks on Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals in the War in Syria, and the Human Right to Health,” Adrienne Fricke, Syria adviser, Physicians for Human Rights

Thursday, Nov. 13 — “Asylum, Refugees and the Human Rights Challenge of Central America’s ‘Border Children,’” Everard Meade, director, Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego

Thursday, Feb. 12 — “Latin America¹s Politics of Human Rights Memory and Commemoration,” Katherine Hite, professor of political science, Vassar College

March 5 — “Human Rights Problems in the Contemporary Middle East and the Politics of Past Genocide Denial,” Fatma Müge Göçek, professor of sociology and women’s studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor