Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi said Islam, democracy and human rights are compatible during the Mission Week keynote address Thursday afternoon.

Ebadi spoke to a full crowd in the Alumni Memorial Ballrooms. A simulcast of the speech was provided in an additional AMU room for those without a ticket to the event.

Ebadi said Iran's ambassadors to the United States are the students and professors who come to learn and teach at American universities like Marquette. She said the cultural exchange between the two countries is growing, but that the political relationship still has to be established.

On democracy, Ebadi said Islam does question the belief that the vote of the majority is righteous. But all cultures and societies, she said, should question that vote.

"A vote of the majority does not constitute a democracy, rather the respect that is shown to human rights," Ebadi said.

She said Islam is the only ideology of some countries in the Middle East, and any criticism of these governments is considered criticism of Islam. In the end, dissenters are silenced and oppressed, Ebadi said.

She noted that the U.S. supports some of these governments, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Ebadi said there are groups of modern Muslim individuals who do believe that Islam can progress while respecting human rights.

"This is a happy occasion and should be celebrated by all Muslims. This group does not have a headquartered office, but they do in their hearts," Ebadi said.

She said that human rights are part of all religions and cultures, and should be even more prominent in the religion of Islam.

"Islam is the religion of adversity and equality," Ebadi said.

She said the world will not experience peace until all societies respect human rights, when no one individual experiences poverty, oppression or discrimination.

"A globalization where there is compassion, where the pain of others are felt by each one of us," Ebadi said.