FOR's Friendship Delegation to Iran: May 2006
Report 4: A Future of Peace in the Eyes of a Child
[Stephen Fryburg wrote the following account of his encounter with a little girl and her family at Persepolis (see trip report #3)]:
“While I was looking at a carved stone wall at Persepolis, a soft little face peered out from the stone staircase above me, a stark contrast to the 2,300-year-old wall bearing images of kings and warriors paying homage to Darius I.
“This little Iranian girl was curious about the group of foreigners below her, and when we made eye contact, we smiled at each other, and then she quickly hid behind the stone wall. Seconds later she found another spot to peek out from, and we began a game of sneak and peek. Twice I caught the magical moment of this sweet interaction with my camera, which brought a big smile to her face. Before she came down the stairs, I took the opportunity to give my new little friend one of our peace buttons.
“Her smile got even bigger, if that were possible, and she ran to show her new treasure to her parents, who were close by. Her parents walked over and we attempted to converse, but not too successfully. One of the other delegation members, who speaks Farsi, helped explain to her parents the mission of the delegation and my position with the Dayton Peace Museum. The parents asked if we could take a photo together and I jumped at the chance. A child’s smile had brought together people from two different cultures and countries. Didn’t Jesus say “Become like children?”
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We arrived in Isfahan very late on the evening of Saturday May 13, and were enchanted with what we saw even at a very late hour.
Isfahan is an important industrial city in the middle of the country. At the heart of the city is a World Heritage site of stunning beauty – ancient Persian mosques and palaces are laid out in a Garden of Paradise. In fact all over Isfahan are gardens of paradise – the streets are like green corridors of sycamore and mulberry and cypresses and the scent of thousands of roses drift through the warm air.
You can tell that this is an ancient civilization because they have had three thousand-odd years to make cities work. The pavements and roads are polished and smooth, clean drinking water is available from public fountains, and the city is designed for pleasure. During the day, people wander along the park-lined river eating ice cream, lovers sit in couples among the honeysuckle arbors, and families take swan boats out on the river. Men and women sit on the steps of the bridge, catching the breeze as the cool water rushes through arches just below their feet and swallows dart over their heads.
Armenians and Zoroastrians – Iran’s Religious Diversity
On Sunday morning, May 14, we visited the Vank Armenian Orthodox Cathedral in the Jolfa District, south of the Zayande River. This cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop, who is the spiritual leader of Armenians in the southern half of Iran. A museum on the cathedral grounds highlights the memory of Armenians killed in Turkey in 1915.
During the 16th century, Shah Abbas invited thousands of people from Armenia to his capital in Isfahan, where there are now 15,000 Armenians living, out of 200,000 in the whole of Iran. The Iranian Orthodox Church maintains regular communications with church leaders in Armenia, and Armenians enjoy cordial relations with other faith communities – Muslims, Jews and Zoroastrians – in Iran. A church spokesman, Mr. Joseph Grigorian said that some discrimination exists, but the legal status of Armenians is somewhat less unpredictable than under the previous Iranian government.
We had been scheduled to attend the Sunday morning worship service, but there was none because one of the priests had died, and all the clergy and most of the people had gone to another church to attend the funeral service. Alex Patico, a member of our delegation and a member of the steering committee of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, paid his respects at this service. Two hundred Armenians in attendance listened to choir members and cantors sing the prayers of the Eastern Church, as they have since the second century C.E.
Our next stop was at a Zoroastrian temple. Zoroastrianism is an ancient, monotheistic religion whose origins are somewhat debated. At the temple we visited, the community believes that Zoroaster was born 3,744 years ago in northwestern Iran. Zoroastrianism is a respected minority religion in Iran. We talked with the priest of this temple, Behzad Nikbeen, who told us about their beliefs and practices.
Zoroastrians believe in one God. Their holy book, the Gattah, was written by the prophet Zoroaster. The religion is based on the duality of good and evil, as embodied in light and dark. They encourage their followers to good thought, good speech, and good actions. Like Sunni Muslims, Zoroastrians pray five times a day. Their spiritual practice is based on the four sacred elements of earth, water, wind, and fire. The latter, because it is a symbol of light, is particularly sacred.
In ancient times, making fire was difficult, so Zoroastrians maintained a flame in the temples so that people who needed fire would have access to it. “We do not worship fire. We respect fire as one of the sources of light,” the priest Nikbeen said. The fire, a single flame from a smoking log in the stone-and-glass-enclosed case, burned steadily and filled the sanctuary with a sweet smoky smell, as the priest Nikbeen talked with us. “I wish you a very clear and relaxed consciousness,” he told us. “This is paradise.”
Interviewed at the river by CNN
After lunch, we went to the Zayande River, and were met by a CNN film crew and reporter. We had agreed that five of our members would be interviewed and what our core message would be. The reporter interviewed us and then followed us as we walked along the river. We crossed the river on the Khajou Bridge, where for hundreds of years,people have come to practice their singing to the acoustics of the stonework.
As we walked along the bridge, we could hear the sound of a flute playing a simple and lovely melody. As we walked a little further, we heard a song coming through the arches. A young man with a plastic bag of books, maybe on his way home from college, was alone in the shade, singing close to the wall to use its resonance.
Passersby stopped quietly to hear him finish his private song – "When my heart is broken, I will take my grief from my enemy to my friend, but when my friend is gone, who will I take my broken heart to?" His song seemed to come in a casual but magical moment. For Iranians, there seems to be no distinction between art and ordinary life.
We had many spontaneous conversations with older and younger Iranians as we crossed the bridge. They seem drawn to us, to talk with us, and to express their support for our mission. They say that they love Americans, and that they also desire peace.
On the far side of the bridge, people gathered to hear a recital from The Epic of the Kings by the great Persian poet Ferdowsi. The balladeers told the story of a king who sold his soul to the devil for a promise that he would be king of the world. Two serpents enter the king's ears to eat his brain and the only way he can stop them is to feed the snakes with the brains of the young people.
A young blacksmith resists and calls on the young people to act together – so they follow his banner and rise up and dethrone the king. The Persians have had millennia of experience of dealing with wicked kings.
We walked further along the far side of the river until we reached the Si-o Se Pol Bridge (Thirty-Three Arches Bridge). It looked magical in the early evening. The rches were alight and there were a few swan boats out on the river. We crossed the bridge and again engaged in conversation. The light and breeze, the soft dew from nearby fountains, and the stars, made the evening magical. The warmth of the people all around us filled our hearts to overflowing.
At breakfast on Monday May 15, some of us discussed the possibility of producing a book of pictures of Iranian women in public spaces. During the morning, we visited first Shah Abbas’s palace, which is called Chehel Sotoon (Forty Columns).
Our guide explained how during the Safavid era, the beautiful garden was created first, then the palace to fit the setting. As he explains the history of Persia through the paintings and buildings, we can sense how proud Iranians are of their history and their culture.
Innocence and Beauty amidst History and Tradition
While we listened to our guide give us background about the palace, a group of tiny young girls wearing turquoise uniforms and a variety of light colored chadors, to indicate age, came into the large hall with their teachers. As the girls moved into the room, they quickly noticed the strange group of foreigners sharing the space with them. We were consumed by a pool of dark, innocent, inquisitive eyes, as they walked slowly around the large room. Shy smiles creased their tiny lips when their glances met ours.
Like a herd of little lambs, one or two would wander from the group and stray over to us for a closer look. They bravely approached, eyes wide open, taking in our differences, until one of the teachers would gently herd them back to the group. As they left the 400-year-old hall, several peered back giving us parting glances. Once they were gone, so was the warmth of their youthful peace, innocence and beauty. It was just a 400-year-old room of memories.
Later, while leaving the grounds, we saw a young man wearing a Green Bay Packers shirt. The day before, we had seen a boy who had a New York baseball cap on. Children are the world’s future. We have the opportunity to give them a future built on peace, friendship, and hope; or fear, hate, suffering and death. Before you decide, look into the eyes of a child.
As we left the Palace, we met Robert Bly and Coleman Barkes, who is a friend of one of our delegates. (Robert Bly is a famous translator of Rumi and other Persian poets, and Colman Barkes also translates, interprets and writes poetry. They are here in Iran to receive awards for their work.)
Next we visited the Imam Khomeini Square, which includes the Ali Qapour palace, the Imam Mosque, and the Khomeini Mosque. The Ali Qapour Palace was constructed by Shah Abbas the Great during the Safavid period. From the balcony, up a long flight of stairs, it is possible to look over the entire square.
From this vantage point, the royal family could watch polo matches, parades and festivals. The palace is situated on the square so that the king could keep watch over the economy and business of the merchants in the shops surrounding the square, the clergy in the public mosque, and the royal family in their own mosque opposite the palace.
Next we visited the Shaykh Lotfallah Mosque, with its beautiful double dome and honeycomb tile work. Again you see and hear how proud our guide is of Persian craftsmanship. We sense that this is a proud culture, as it should be with these beautiful mosques, palaces, bridges, and gardens.
We see family life everywhere. Families doing things together: viewing sites, picnicking in the many parks, strolling and mingling on the bridges, and eating together in restaurants. We see fathers and mothers caring for young children. Often three generations are together, all interacting with each other. Many times, larger extended groups are out together.
After lunch we visited the shop of a master miniature painter, Hossein Fallahi, and he demonstrated his artistry for us. His work is extremely fine, and he begins a piece by painting with a cat’s hair brush, using the ash from burnt fish bone. The other colors are made from natural minerals. The miniatures in his shop were exquisite, and several of us made purchases.
Next we were free to go shopping in the many, many little handicraft shops around Imam Square. Some of us rested at the hotel while others headed out alone or in little groups. We found about two-thirds of the shops were closed until later in the afternoon. Jean and Karen met a young nomad man who says he is in love with Condoleezza Rice. He said, as a nomad, he has no interest in politics, but he lovers to see her face on TV. He is a student of French here in Isfahan and hopes to go to France and work in cinema.
“Enemy’s” visit is a blessing from God
Jean met another young Iranian carpet seller who is happy we are here and agrees with our thinking about peace, except he didn’t think we could accomplish much without talking directly to government officials. He reiterated the Islamic teaching that even if your enemy visits you, he or she is a blessing from God.
He said tourism from all the European nations dropped off after 9/11, due to depictions of Muslims as terrorists. Iran still exports most of its goods, but that dropped off too after 9/11. Many people are worried about the future, he said, so they save money rather than buy carpets. The economy has greatly suffered, he said. It was his birthday and he shared birthday cake with us.
After leaving him, a group of young women greeted Jean warmly and thanked us for our mission. Walking back to the hotel, Jean met Dick and David talking with a very friendly Mullah. He talked about his school. He wanted us to visit him and to stay and talk more.
A small group of us shopped together and tried our best to bargain a little. We bought inlay work called khatam, scarves, books and postcards, spices, weavings, tee-shirts printed with “IRAN” and a picture of Persepolis, and cloth with stamped designs which can be used as table cloths or bedspreads.
Sr. Ellen Francis, Jo Lane and Ona Owens, and some Iranian women bought lovely scarves from a man on a bicycle. We bought so many tee-shirts and scarves from him that he had to go back to his storeroom for more stock.
At the end of our purchases, he said to me “I am so glad you are here” and Sr. Ellen Francis said, “Yes, it is good for you and for us that we are here!” We met tourists from England in the bazaar, but there seem to be few other tourists. The first question we are asked is usually: where are you from? And the second question is usually: how did you get a visa?
As we were shopping, a large group of young women passed by and stopped when they saw Ellen Francis helping Jo with her scarf. They said, “Oh! You are fixing your hijab. There was much giggling and talk and picture-taking. Ellen Francis explained that we are here on a peace delegation, and they said “Very good!”
In the evening, some of our group attended an exhibition at a Zurkhane “House of Strength”. The taxi ride to the Zurkhane was an experience of its own. In the heavy traffic cars are so close, and we saw many near misses.
The Zurkhane was amazing, a performing arts program of strength, skill, gracefulness, and rhythm. About 18 young men could do push-ups, spin like tops, lift and juggle heavy clubs, perform calisthenics and use footwork that was almost ballet-like, in a circular exercise area about 20 feet in diameter. They did all this to the beat of a drum and the recitation of Islamic sayings.
Sometimes they performed together, with a leader in the middle, and sometimes one person would do the exercise alone while the others encouraged him. They were dressed in blue sweats with brightly striped sleeves and ornately decorated knee-length shorts. The walls were lined from floor to ceiling with photos of (mostly) bare-chested men in athletic poses. The spectators sat in sharply raked tiers of rug-covered marble steps.
A Prayer for Americans – to be heard in Washington, DC
The man who beat the drum and led the chant is a former athlete, and is called a morshed. It is customary for him to ask for a traditional prayer for the Prophet Mohammad and his family. This evening, he asked everyone to pray for the health of the guests from America, and he asked those present to respond so loudly that their voices would be heard in Washington D.C.
Like every day in this beautiful country, today was wonderful. These people are beautiful. We must not harm them or their country.
The next morning, Tuesday, May 16, we had breakfast and packed up for our drive to Natanz and Qom. Before we left the hotel, one of the women staff of the hotel told our Iranian consultant that she sees many foreigners at this hotel, but not Americans. She said that she didn’t realize that Americans are such good people and how similar we are to Iranians.
On the road, we had a short meditation and prayer, and listened to some traditional Iranian music. Our guide told us a traditional Persian story called the “Conference of the Birds”. After about two hours on the road, we arrived at the village of Natanz. This village is famous for its gardens, fruit (especially pears), and pottery.
We first visited the Friday Mosque, which was first used as a mosque in the 10th century C.E. Originally, it may have been a Zoroastrian fire temple, and it has only one minaret. The dome is hexagonal, and has a straight and pointed top, like a dervish’s hat, in honor of the founder of this mosque, Sheik Nouradin Abdul Samad.
We were amazed at the beautiful tile work at the entrance and the different types of calligraphy. After more than 800 years, the tile work is still a vivid, dark blue and light blue. Inside, we saw beautiful plaster decorations, and places where the tile work had been stolen or taken to foreign museums. In one section, we saw 1,060 year-old brickwork which formed Kufic lettering.
Facing the mosque was a shop which sells the pottery of Natanz, which is unique in the world.
After leaving the mosque, we rode a little further in the bus to the “Alame Majlesi” Orphanage. This orphanage was founded 10 years ago by a Muslim clergyman, Mr. Ansari and his wife, to take care of girls who have no family or whose family is not able to take care of them because their parents are in prison or are addicts.
There is also another branch of this orphanage for children with mental disabilities. When the orphanage opened, there were 19 girls, and there are now 25. This was the first NGO in Iran to care for orphaned girls, but now others have followed.
We ate a wonderful lunch, and then over tea, we asked the girls some questions. Then we asked if they had questions for us. At first they didn’t ask any questions, and our guide said that Iranian girls are very shy. Then they lost all their shyness and started asking very direct questions: “What is your impression of George Bush?” “What do you think of the President of Iran, Mr. Ahmadinejad?” “What do you think of Iran’s nuclear facility?” We were delighted that they were so open and direct with us, and answered their questions to the best of our ability.
We then asked the girls their names and what they would like to be when they grow up. They answered: doctor, dentist, lawyer, computer engineer, social worker, even the head judge! We expressed our hope that they would all achieve their goals and dreams. Richard gave thanks on our behalf for their hospitality, and said that we are all working for peace.
On our way to Qom we passed the Nantanz nuclear facility. In the early evening, we reached our hotel in Qom and went immediately to the shrine of Fatimeh to meet with Shiite clergy. Our next trip report will cover our meetings in Qom and our return to Teheran.
