The day I went to the Memorial Building in Trinity College Dublin for Denny’s school debate on the motion ‘Voting should be made compulsory’, something caught the corner of my eye. It was a vibrant coloured poster on the side notice board. Instantly I walked over to the poster. I was amazed and shocked to read that Ms Ebadi was coming to Ireland to address The Hist Society at Trinity College on Friday 14th of December 2007. Ms Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, human rights activist and founder of Children's Rights Support Association in Iran. On October 10, 2003 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous efforts for democracy and human rights, especially for the rights of women and children. She is the first Iranian and Muslim woman ever to have received the Nobel Peace Prize.
I was always a big fan of Ms Ebadi’s work and commitment to the Iranian nation. As an Iranian girl, I see her as a role model. So my initial reaction was I would love to interview her for our Transition Year (TY) School magazine. I spoke to my TY teacher, Ms Ryan, and she supported the idea.
Consequently, I wrote an email to Ms Ebadi expressing my interest to have an audience with her. I waited anxiously for some weeks but eventually got a reply from her secretary, on the night of Wednesday 12th December giving me an appointment to meet Ms Ebadi the following day at 10.00 AM at the Weston hotel. I was thrilled but terrified and anxious, not knowing what I was going to ask her. I was nervous as I had to speak in Persian (Farsi). At the same time I was honoured to be getting the privilege to meet her, a world icon, so far away from home.
Waiting for her at the hotel lobby was so nerve racking, my hands were sweaty as I waited with my friend Susan who was there to take photos. She finally arrived and following the introduction, Susan and I commenced the interview.
Surprisingly this wasn’t Ms Ebadi’s first visit to Ireland. She informed me that in May 2007 she came to Galway to attend a conference on the rights of women. From her very first words it was obvious that she was a woman that has pride and belief in the future of her country and cares deeply for the welfare of her fellow citizens. She spoke strongly about the abilities of the youth and the women in Iran, how their hard work and protests have resulted to changes, in such cases as the custody law.
When asked why she became a lawyer she said that it was something she had always loved. She recalled her childhood memory. ‘I remember when I used to walk in the street and see two kids fighting, without even knowing the story, I would go to rescue the kid that was being beaten.’ Her father was liberal and believed in social discussion and education for girls. This made her enter the University of Law ‘because I thought that this way I could better achieve my ambitions in life.’
The Nobel Prize committee praised Ms Ebadi as a "courageous person" who "has never heeded the threat to her own safety" As I referred to this statement she responded, ‘If you have belief in your aim, in the end you have to deal with the problems too.’ She further referred to a shocking revelation she made while studying a case in which she discovered that she was supposed to be killed but in a miraculous way survived.
I learnt a lot from my encounter with Ms Ebadi. In particular I will always remember how the work of one woman in a country that is very much male dominated can make such a difference in the world. Ms Ebadi advised me to be “strong, courageous and go forward. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are a right of human beings. If you are to idolize other people because you are afraid of making your own mistakes you will never get anywhere or achieve anything”. And I believe that this is a message that all young people should follow.
By Sheelan Yousefizadeh
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