Picasso's joie de vivre

rostam
a window to Iran and to the world
A cosmopolitan Iranian looks at current events in Iran and beyond:

Located half-way between West and East, and influenced by its ancient Persian heritage as well as the dominant religion in the country, for decades Iran has been struggling with its schizophrenic identity. Tradition or Modernity? Is there a third way out?

Which direction are we moving to? Today, a new generation of young Iranians is shaping the future of the country. Many observers believe that Iranian youth and women are forces of change in the country--changes that will have implications beyond Iran, throughout the region or perhaps around the globe.

In addition to these recurrent themes, you will read about my own trivial pursuits and interests, music, culture, movies, and etc. After all, life goes on, whether you live in East or West! See the world through the eyes of a young Iranian!



Yesterday This Day's Madness did prepare
To-morrow's Silence, Triumph, or Despair:
Drink! for you not know whence you came, nor why;
Drink! for you know not why you go, no where.
-From Rubaiyat by Omar-Khayyam (c. 1110 A.D.)

*Title painting: "La joie de vivre" by Pablo Picasso




Wednesday, July 09, 2003

International Committee for Transition to Democracy in Iran

Today is 9th of July, the anniverssary of 1999 student unrest in Iran.
On that note, a more political post for today!

I am surprised that the establishment of the International Committee for Transition to Democracy in Iran did not receive wider coverage in Iranian and internatioanl media. This committee is composed of an impressive group of intellectuals and scholars from around the globe: Samir Amin (Economist), Noam Chomsky (Professor of Linguistics), Costa Gavras (Film Director), Albert Jacquard (Scientist), José Saramago (Nobel Laureate, Literature), Jean.-Pierre Vernant (Historian, Collège de France), Hélène Antoniadis-Bibicou (Historian), André Guillou (Historian), Maurice Godelier, Anthropologist, Alain Joxe, Sociologist, Pierre Vidal-Naquet, Historian (Professors at Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales), Paul Noirot (Publisher), Roland Sublon (Dean, Theology Faculty, Strasbourg), Jean Ziegler (Sociologist, Geneva, UN Special Rapporteur), Antonio Lobo Antunes (Novelist, Portugal).

I think this is a very important development. The democratic movement in Iran needs exactly this kind of action, coming from independent, and wll known intellectuals who can lend their moral support to the cause of democracy in Iran. I am eager to see what are the future plans and next steps of this committee.
Posted at 2:49 PM
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