BIC Brussels and MEP François Alfonsi Launch a Series of Roundtables on Social Cohesion and Diversity in Iran BRUSSELS—17 April 2024—

The Baha’i International Community (BIC) in Brussels launched a series of events on social cohesion and the value of diversity in Iran. “The aim is to provide a space for joint exploration of the rich diversity present in Iran, the shared aspirations and the strengths on which Iranian society can rely for a more socially cohesive Iran,” said Sina Varaei, from the Baha’i International Community’s Brussels office. 

“Iran’s strength lies in the diversity of beliefs, ethnicities and the diversity of its social groups which share a common aspiration for the realisation of freedom, equality and social justice,” said Behrouz Asadi, an Iranian human-rights activist. Member of European Parliament, François Alfonsi, said in his own remarks that respecting the presence and equality of minorities in Iran is an essential prerequisite to the region’s democratic future. 

This first roundtable discussion, co-hosted by Mr. Alfonsi and the BIC, drew together representatives of several Iranian ethnic and religious minorities, journalists, artists, and activists. 

The event was held as part of the #OurStoryIsOne initiative – a global campaign honouring the fortieth anniversary of the 1983 execution of 10 Baha'i women in Shiraz, Iran, which calls on all Iranians to see each other’s stories and well-being as interconnected. 

“The #OurStoryIsOne campaign means that… each single individual in Iran is endowed with capacity and has an irreplaceable role to play in shaping the present and the future of Iran” said Rachel Bayani, the BIC’s Representative in Brussels. 

While exploring the common aspirations of the Iranian people, Shahin Helali Khyavi, from the Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran, said that “it is impossible to achieve social cohesion in Iran without taking into account the rights of all the constituent components of society.” 

Fred Andon Petrossian, a journalist from Article 18, added that “we need to share this idea that our well-being depends on each other.” 

Majid Ahadpour, an Iranian calligrapher and artist, focused on the role of art in creating unity and purpose among Iran’s various ethnic groups, saying that “it is the promotion and support of local arts of the various ethnic groups of Iran which can give them a higher sense of worth and cohesion.” 

And other participants highlighted the value of conversations and spaces which foster interactions and understanding between different ethnic and religious groups of Iran.