ROYAL FORUM: Iran-born Hanif Bali elected to Swedish Parliament

Share/Save/Bookmark

ROYAL FORUM: Iran-born Hanif Bali elected to Swedish Parliament
by Darius Kadivar
21-Jan-2011
 


Hanif Bali’s family fled from political persecution in Iran, but the protection in neighbouring Iraq was short-lived. When the second Gulf War broke out, Hanif’s parents sent him to safety in Sweden with human smugglers. He landed in Stockholm, exposed and alone. If the 3-year-old boy could have looked twenty years into the future, he would have seen himself as a young and well-spoken Member of the Swedish Parliament. Before that, he would have gotten to know Sweden from north to south in thirteen different foster families.

”I became a Swedish citizen in time to vote”

Since no one could certify his identity in Sweden, he had to wait until he was eighteen years old before he could become a Swedish citizen. Hanif laughs when he says: “When I came of age, I could testify to my own identity and tell the authorities that I had been Hanif Bali for eighteen years”. Hanif hurried to register for citizenship in time to vote in the elections of 2006.

Speech At the Swedish Parliament:

Hanif lived in foster families for sixteen years, and that has affected his views on the reception of unaccompanied refugee children. “We have to stop taking care of these children on an industrial basis. Putting them in institutional homes is not the way to integrate them into society”.

”The best thing we can offer refugee children is placement in a family”

“The best thing we can offer the children is placement in a family, where they can build strong social ties. We also have to realise that taking care of a refugee child could be a full-time task, and the financial compensation has to reflect that”.

 

On a Talk Show on Swedish Television:


Hanif grew up mainly in Iranian foster families, but also speaks fondly of what it was like to live with a Swedish family in pastoral Gråbo, outside of Gothenburg. “It gave me the chance to experience what Swedish family life is like, and that meant so much to me”. 

When party colleagues in southern Sweden refused to receive refugee children, Hanif’s critique was merciless. “I don’t believe in agreements forcing municipalities to receive refugees, but the situation for unaccompanied refugee children is acute and we need more municipalities to take responsibility”.

Speaking at a Concert Rally in Stockholm:

 

“It’s also important that integration efforts are carried out responsibly. I think municipalities who mismanage integration should be sanctioned”.

”Can’t we just disregard whether people eat fish fingers or falafel at home?”

In an article in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Hanif wrote: ”Politicians seem to believe that integration is popular treats with spicy food and music” and maybe that reflects the image many people have of the relations between Swedes and immigrants. “Can’t we just disregard whether people eat fish fingers or falafel at home?”, Hanif comments.

Trailer to Documentary on Swedish Royal Dynasty of the "Bernadotte's" (ARTE Television):


“I think questions of multiculturalism and monoculturalism are irrelevant. Irrespective of whether people are from Somalia, Sweden or Iran, they get authority over their own lives if they work and earn a living for themselves”.

“For refugees and immigrants, it’s also important to be part of the fellowship a work place can offer. It was at work a colleague invited me to join him for the midsummer festivities”.

“Integration is possible, but politicians need to understand what works”

According to Hanif, integration has mistakenly been treated as a separate policy area in Sweden. “Where does integration fail?”, he asks. “Integration fails in municipalities that fail in other policy areas, on for example education and the labour market. A good option is to use the same model for natives and immigrants, like in my municipality Solna. Functioning integration policies are possible, but politicians need to understand what works”.

When asked about his dream vision of refugee reception, Hanif says that he would want refugees to come to Sweden not only to avoid persecution and war, but also because they know they will be able to build a future for themselves there.

”Don’t look down on the Swedish dream of house-dog-and-car”

Hanif speaks enthusiastically about the will among refugees and immigrants to improve their lives and live like common Swedes. “Don’t look down on people striving for the Swedish dream of a house, a dog and a car. It’s a dream that is very difficult to realise for many people”.

“Swedish society should give refugees and immigrants support and the opportunity to integrate. But you cannot get immersed into Swedish society without also wanting it and taking responsibility for it yourself”.

 

Related Pictory:

Royalty: Shah of Iran and King of Sweden Stokholm (1960)


DIPLOMATIC CORPS: Abbas Amir-Entezam IRI's First Ambassador to Sweden (1979)


CHIVALRY: Boy Mirrors Swedish Guard


Related Blog:


EMINENT PERSIANS: Arash Derambarsh Future French President?


KNIGHTHOOD: Mario Vargas Llosa receives 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature



Other Related Royal Forum Blogs:

ROYAL FORUM: Morocco's Steady Path Towards Democracy



ROYAL FORUM: China signs $7.5b deals with Juan Carlos' Spain

ROYAL FORUM: Explaining the Concept of a Constitutional Monarchy to a Staunch Republican

ROYAL FORUM: Zahra Rahnavard Monarchist Muslim? ;0)


ROYAL FORUM: Unauthorized Bio Tarnishes King of Sweden's Reputation With Wild Sex Allegations

ROYAL FORUM: Spain's Royal Family Cut Budget For First Time In History

ROYAL FORUM: King Charles or King William? Britons want Charles to step aside for William

ROYAL FORUM: Prince William and Harry - Prisoners of Celebrity

ROYAL FORUM: The Pain in the Reign in Spain

ROYAL FORUM: Prince Charles and Camilla's Car has been attacked by protesters

 

ROYAL FORUM: Crown Prince of Serbia Seeks to Restore The Monarchy       
  

ROYAL FORUM: Tests show head of France's popular King Henri IV 'genuine'

 

ROYAL FORUM: Behind the Scenes of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953

Share/Save/Bookmark

more from Darius Kadivar
 
Darius Kadivar

Nordic model: Swedes cheer economic prosperity

by Darius Kadivar on


Nordic model (bbc)

    Sweden learned a lot from a previous banking bust in the early 1990s. Since then, it has adopted a tough stance on the banks, protecting the institutions rather than their bosses and maintaining a steady flow of lending to private business. Sweden's tax authority is popular because people know they get a lot back in return for the high taxes. Finance Minister Anders Borg is widely praised for his ability to balance the Swedish economy. 

John

Sorry for the confusion Darius

by John on

"The boob" that I was referring to is Amir Khadir, the jerk who is an elected member of the Quebec province provincial legislature, who leads demonstrations against stores selling Israeli-made shoes, who campaigns for the secession of Quebec province from Canada, the incredibly liberal and free country that accepted him as an immigrant.


MRX1

what kind

by MRX1 on

of name is halif bani? is that realy an Iranian name?


siavash1000

Talented Iranian man

by siavash1000 on

 

These videos indicate that our great nation has many talented people,but criminal Islamic gang who imposed themselves to Iranian people for last 31 years never allow them to grow or to become internationally famous.  


Darius Kadivar

John John Jaan if you read Carefully Apparently He does ...

by Darius Kadivar on

John: This boob should remember where he came from and appreciate the freedoms offered by his new home that he didn't find in his motherland. 

 

See Last Two Paragraphs of my Blog:

Hanif speaks enthusiastically about the will among refugees and immigrants to improve their lives and live like common Swedes. “Don’t look down on people striving for the Swedish dream of a house, a dog and a car. It’s a dream that is very difficult to realise for many people”. 

“Swedish society should give refugees and immigrants support and the opportunity to integrate. But you cannot get immersed into Swedish society without also wanting it and taking responsibility for it yourself”.


John

I hope he's better than who I got

by John on

The most prominent Iranian-born politician in my neck of the woods is making a name for himself as a bit of an a$$, in my opinion.  His most recent stunt is to organize protesters to picket outside of a local business that is selling, among many other items, shoes made in Israel.  This boob should remember where he came from and appreciate the freedoms offered by his new home that he didn't find in his motherland.


Darius Kadivar

HHH Jaan He is essentially speaking about Rights of Minorities

by Darius Kadivar on

in Sweden.

Sorry for not being able to offer an exact translation or transcript other than the UHCR report I have posted.

If Any Iranian  Swedes can offer an exact translation of the video contents please don't hesitate to enlighten us in this regard.

Appreciated !

DK 

 


HHH

:(

by HHH on

I like to know what he's saying but I only speak Farsi, English and Angoori :(