Shohreh Aghdashloo on Religious Freedom

Ali Najafi
by Ali Najafi
22-Sep-2009
 

I wanted to share this video on Iranian.com. While the 9/12 Iran Event was meant to raise awareness for the Baha'i persecutions in Iran, it really speaks to the human and civil rights of all Iranians -- Muslims, agnostics, Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, atheists, women, children, free-thinkers, Kurds, Azeris, etc.

I remember that Nelson Mandela once stated, to paraphrase, that you can judge the leadership of a country and the rights it provides its citizens by the way it treats its minorities. I think this was also reflected in Hamid Dabashi's recent CNN article where he states "When Baha'is are free, then Iranians will be."

In Aghdashloo's words, "I am a Jew. I am a Buddhist. I am a Christian. I am a Muslim. I am a Bahai".

In this brief video, Ms. Aghdashloo also does a short reading from a film-script on 22 women in Shiraz and the life of Mona, the 16 year old, who was hung in 1983 for refusal to deny her beliefs.

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ctcny9

New UPLOAD of Shohreh on Baha'i Human Rights

by ctcny9 on Wed Oct 14, 2009 01:58 AM PDT

Please try the link below to view Shohreh's support of Baha'i human Rights in Iran as well as video clips of her work with the Children's Theatre Company...another demonstration of Shohreh's authentic connection to serving the greater good with her gifts and public reach.

 //www.youtube.com/user/ctcny9#p/a/u/0/F_nrj0MriTo

www.childrenstheatercompany.org


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yolanda

Thank you, Faryarm, for the video

by yolanda on Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:25 PM PDT

It is soooo sad! I heard the word, Baha'i, for the very 1st time when I was in graduate school in Hawaii . At that time I did not know the origin of the religion. I thought it is a Hawaiian religion 'cause the word "Baha'i" and the word "Hawai'i' sound like from the same language with the very similar vowel pattern. There are Bahai members in Hawaii...... 2 years ago I found out that the Bahai was originated in Iran. I read on Internet that Bahai cemetery got desecrated and their members are hard to get into college. Of course, I heard about the executions and espionage trials......Roxanna Saberi pushes the IRI to release jailed Bahai members......

      Hopefully things will become better!

thanks,

yolanda


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Tahirih

Thank you Ali and thank you Ms Aghdashloo.

by Tahirih on Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:59 AM PDT

So moving,...... as a bahai it is just so moving to hear these words from our hamvatanan. The day we start to care for minorities in Iran ,is the day that our beloved Iran will be freed from darkness.

Regards,

Tahirih


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alborz

The voice of support and empathy is the turning point...

by alborz on Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:15 AM PDT

... for an entire society that has awakened to the plight of its own citizens.

It is indeed sweet to hear this and other voices speak in unison, as the tranformation of Iran depends on it.

Just in case others may have missed this, here is Alireza Meybod reflecting on the Baha'i community which he encountered at the Friends of Persian Art and Culture Conference in Chicago.  This conference held its 19th session and is sponsored by Iranian Baha'is each year.

Part I

Part II

Thank you Ali for posting this clip.

Alborz

 


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faryarm

Thank you Ali..

by faryarm on Tue Sep 22, 2009 09:30 AM PDT

Thank you Ali..

Ms. Aghdashloo's touching words helps to keep the plight of the targeted and persecuted minorities in the public eye.

The story of Mona and the 21 other women who were executed in Shiraz in 1983 for being Bahais is a tragic event that the criminals responsible will have to account for.

For those who have not seen this video from 1984 

see also

//www.monasdream.com


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