Students mobilize, support democracy

February 8, 2010 by Zach Loker 

Iranian Heritage Society to support political movement

The UNLV Iranian Heritage Society will hold a rally to support the democratic movement in Iran with the help of other Iranian organizations at the College of Sourthen Nevada and around the valley on Feb. 11.

The date marks the 30-year anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

“The Islamic Republic was established after a bloody and violent revolution against a dictatorial regime that had ruled Iran for much of the 20th century,” said Emily Taraneh Tamadonfar, co-founder of the IHS.

“The hopes and expectations of the Iranians who participated in the revolution was to establish a system of governance that reflected Iranian cultural heritage and our ancestor’s democratic accomplishments, but unfortunately, over the past thirty one years, the Islamic Republic has shown an increasing tendency towards authoritarianism.”

This trend of authoritarianism was publicly apparent during the recent 2009 presidential election, in which voter fraud cost incoming reformist candidates the election. Iranians have openly expressed their disappointment and worry regarding the developing movement away from democracy and toward a dictatorship.

“We will be joining our fellow Iranians and friends in a worldwide demonstration in opposition to the Islamic Republic’s disregard for human rights and repressive policies,” Tamadonfar said. “If the Iranian history is any indication, these efforts will usher in greater freedoms to our fellow Iranians who so desperately desire greater openness and cherish democratic values.”

The IHS wants nothing more than for justice to be served in Iran, but will only act in peaceful terms.

“We are trying to bring Iranians in the community together and let the people of Iran know that we support them and want the political situation over there to end peacefully,” said IHS co-founder Autoosa Kojoori-Saatchi.

“We want everyone involved. The whole point of our organization is to show solidarity to Iran.”

“There is a growing community of Iranian students at UNLV who are mainly the second generation of Iranians, whose parents came to the United States during or shortly after the Iranian revolution in 1978-79,” Tamadonfar said. “These students have a great deal of cultural affinity towards Iran, so we created the Iranian Heritage Society on campus.”

Since its creation, the IHS has planned to sponsor cultural events like poetry and movie nights, social events like the Persian New Year celebration, and political events to disseminate information about the current political conflicts affecting the country.

A culturally diverse group of students, the IHS’s mission is to provide an opportunity for students of the ethnicity and the community to learn about Iran’s cultural riches, long history and current socio-political dynamics.

“For me in particular, I specialize in Middle Eastern politics, I am currently writing my thesis on it,” Kojoori-Saatchi said. “I think it is really important what has been going on in Iran and I think that people around the world need to be informed also.”

Thursday’s rally will focus on and celebrate Iranian culture in terms of literature, poetry and art. It will take place in the free speech zone adjacent to the student union.

The rally is important to IHS partly because it will represent the small Iranian population in Las Vegas in a big way.

“There are many Iranian organizations throughout California because there is a large Iranian community, but it isn’t as much that way in Las Vegas,” Kojoori-Saatchi said. “We want to spread awareness, get the word out and connect Iranians to one another and there’s no better place to start than on a university campus.”