There is change afoot in Iranian communities all across the globe.
The Iranian Diaspora is coming of age politically, and nothing has helped propel this change more than the disputed presidential elections of June 2009 and the young Iranians who led the post-election unrest. Whereas once the Diaspora communities were psychologically fractured and plagued with ideological differences, the events of last summer have managed to forge a degree of unity unseen in the past 30 years.
Rallies to raise awareness about the Green Movement are planned in cities as diverse and far apart as São Paulo, Tokyo and Johannesburg. With hundreds of rallies scheduled for the anniversary of the June 12th election, global attention will once again be focused on the Iranian struggle for democracy. One key group, United4Iran, is coordinating over 60 demonstrations on June 12th across six continents. They aim to show the world that the thirst for freedom and the desire to have a meaningful say in one’s own affairs is an Iranian struggle over a century old, dating back to the Tobacco Protest of the 1890s.
A significant development, though largely unnoticed, is the impact students of Iranian descent are having in leading these efforts. This young college population can best be described as pragmatic, with a keen understanding of how to appeal to non-Iranians and attract them to this cause.
Iranian-American author Reza Aslan explains the difference between the outlook of younger and older generation Iranians in the Diaspora. The younger generation does not
carry the baggage of their parents. The generation that was forced out of Iran and into exile…has quite understandably a very emotional resonance when it comes to the Islamic Republic, and unfortunately as a result is not always a rational voice for dealing with Iran as a problem.
Not having that baggage puts them in a much better position to deal with the reality of Iran.
This generation of socially active and politically conscious youth can be credited for much of the unity seen today. Although some older activists still remain entrenched in the ideologies they have held since even before the Islamic Revolution, many others are now finding common cause realizing that they all share the same end goal. This new Iranian pragmatism is cause for great hope. As Nietzsche once said, “Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.”
Young Iranians across the globe are making sure that that is no longer the case.