Kabul-Paris, 10 December 2015
Armanshahr Foundation/OPEN ASIA announced the recipients of the 4th International Simorgh Peace Prize awards on the 67th Human Rights Day during the “Human Rights Week” (7-10 December 2015) in Kabul.
This time round, women who are true protectors of peace in three countries located at the heart of Asia – Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan – were recipients of the awards; women who despise war-mongering and stand up to it by their civic and sustained initiatives; innovative women who resist the despotic and war-afflicted world and give us hope to continue the struggle to change the unjust relations and serve equality.
The awardee women are:
Afghanistan — Horia Mosadiq, in appreciation of more than two decades of human rights activities on the national and international levels; Auntie Sakina, in appreciation of a life-time of bravery and courage in breaking sexual taboos; Maryam Durani, for her resistance and initiatives to make voices of women heard from Kandahar; Farkhonda Rajabi, an outstanding example of young girls who employ culture and knowledge to promote enlightenment.
Iran — Mehrangiz Kar, for a life-time of defending freedom, and equal rights for women.
Tajikistan — Golrokhsar Safieva, in praise of a powerful and knowledgeable poet and writer, the heart of whose poems and writings beats with the social, political and cultural developments in her country and the region; Mehrenegar Bahranova, in appreciation of a life-time of social work for women and children.
Praised were: Waheed Kaacemy (Afghanistan) for his efforts to bring message of peace and friendship through music and research, and the Civic Pervasive Campaigns of Iranian Women for being a unique example in Iran and the region, striving for equality, justice, freedom, and elimination of discrimination.
Armanshahr Foundation/OPEN ASIA established the International Simorgh Peace Prize in 2009. The Prize is awarded to artists and cultural activists, civic and citizenship initiatives working for human rights, peace and freedom once every 30 months.
Guissou Jahangiri, Executive Director of Armanshahr Foundation/OPEN ASIA and the initiator of the Simorgh Peace Prize, said: “This year, we are honoured to award the prize to the women who have stood up against nothing but injustice and intolerance; who are role models for the young people of the region and whose lives serves equality, justice and freedom of the entire society. We wish to display these women’s powerful lives and actions .”
In the first round, poets and writers working for peace by fighting the war and violence through literature received the awards. In the second round, it was the turn of books, safe locations for them and independent publishers who bear the hardship of publishing in order to transmit knowledge to receive the awards. In the third round, the awardees were musicians from Afghanistan, Iran and Tajikistan who aim at sowing the seeds of peace and affection and substitute their voice for the rattling of guns and despotism.