‘Your voice matters in the world’

OPINION:

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all here, and I would like to thank Maryam Radjavi for her words today, even if the circumstances are a little unique and there is a large distance between us. I would like to publicly voice both my admiration and my great trust towards her. My dear Maryam Rajavi and I have known each other for almost 10 years, and throughout this whole period, I have seen you continuing to show courage and determination, through whatever challenges and risks you face, in your fight for freedom, for democracy, for secularism, for women’s rights, alongside those of men, too. All of this deserves our admiration. Your voice is matters in this world.

I’d also like to thank those around you. It was a real challenge to get us all here together today but you did it, and I think it is a huge success.

We are all here together because we have something in common our desire to defend human rights, to defend democracy, to defend the values of freedom, to defend the values in the search for peace. That is what we want for Iran. We want the people of Iran to be able to, like we are able to ourselves in our own countries, benefit from being allowed to think freely, exercise religious beliefs, and for women to be able to do everything they are capable of, and help their country.

Yes, we are here to say that we love Iran. We regret to say today that this nation cannot benefit, that all of its citizens cannot benefit from what we have, freedom, democracy, and free speech.

Today, when we saw that the Belgium judicial system questioning an Iranian diplomat for events which could fall under the realm of terrorism, it is a true concern for our well-being. That is why it is now time for us to condemn what is happening, and call to arms all the people of Iran to show what makes humanity so rich and what makes the greatness of your nation.

We wish that Iran, by combining all of the qualities that we share across our diversities, can play its part.

As a woman, I want to see the females of Iran following their dreams as citizens; to see Iranian women be able to chase their ambitions and use them for their country, for their fellow citizens, and for them to be able to put their huge capabilities, intelligence, and willingness to act to good use. I am lucky to live in a country, France, where women are effectively able to have any position and any responsibility. It is true that I was very fortunate to be able to hold high positions that I was entrusted with.

Of course, I think it is very important that all Iranian women can follow the example of Maryam Rajavi, and are able to fight for their freedoms, respect, human rights, and democracy. Maryam Radjavi can serve as an example for those women, and, I think, it is important for us to let them know that they are doing the right thing by following the example of your fight.