Wednesday, April 22, 2026 | 6:00 PM | IAB 1501
A screening of My Father and Qaddafi, a documentary by Jihan K, followed by a panel with the filmmaker and Columbia faculty.
Join Columbia SIPA for a screening of My Father and Qaddafi, a deeply personal documentary that explores the legacy of Muammar Qaddafi through the lens of family, exile, and geopolitical upheaval. The filmmaker Jihan K pieces together the life of her father, Mansur Rashid Kikhia, a human rights attorney, Libya's former foreign minister, and UN ambassador. Having spent years working within Gaddafi's regime, he eventually joined the opposition. Then, in 1993, he disappeared from a Cairo hotel. Drawing on personal testimonies and moving between personal narrative and political history, My Father and Qaddafi offers a reflection on Libya’s ongoing struggle to reckon with its past. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dean Emerita Lisa Anderson.
Speakers:
Jihan K, director, My Father and Qaddafi
Baha Al Omary, director’s mother, featured in the documentary
Hisham Aidi, Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs, Columbia SIPA
Hamid Dabashi, Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature, Columbia University
Lisa Anderson (moderator), Dean Emerita, James T. Shotwell Professor Emerita of International Relations, and IGP Affiliated Faculty Member at Columbia SIPA
Sponsors:
This event is organized by the Institute of Global Politics at Columbia SIPA and cosponsored by the Saltzman Institute, the Middle East Institute, and the Institute for the Study of Human Rights.
Please note:
Check-in begins 30 minutes before the event and early arrival is strongly recommended, as this registration does not guarantee a seat. This event is only open to registered Columbia University affiliates and select guests; IDs will be checked at registration. By registering for this event, you are affirming that you will abide by the Rules of University Conduct.
Guests with disabilities:
Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Guests with disabilities can request assistance from the Office of Disability Services at (212) 854-2388 or disability@columbia.edu.