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| Messages of congratulations to Maryam Namazie for winning Secularist of the Year |
| Received by 11 October 2005 am |
Dear Maryam I, on behalf of Organization for Women’s Liberation, congratulate you for being awarded the secularist of the year in England. I am so pleased to see that your efforts to promote secularism, to defend women’s rights and against political Islam has been recognized by the international community. |
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This shows that our movement is in the forefront of the fight for secularism and against political Islam in the West as well as in the Middle East. We are proud to be working with you. Today more than any other time the world is in need of a focused and coordinated international struggle to raise the banner of secularism and for de-religionization of society. Religion has made significant inroads into society, and reactionary movements such as political Islam are threatening humanity. To safeguard freedom, equality and free thinking, to reach equality for Women, to free society of discrimination and superstition, we need first and foremost to promote secularism and to de-religionize the society. We have a long and treacherous struggle before us. Azar Majedi Chair of Organisation for Women’s Liberation 8 October, 2005 ____________________________________________________ Congratulations Dear Maryam, Heartiest congratulations to you! I was delighted to hear you have been awarded for Secularist of the Year” in London. I am so proud of you and all your significant contribution towards the promotion of secularism. Sincerely, International Campaign against Sharia Court in Canada ____________________________________________________ 09-10-2005: 01:05:34 Secularist of the Year
Well maybe now they'll start publishing her. Maybe this will be the push they need. Kenan Malik said, you know. Remember that? In the Guardian (she said pointedly). All the way back in January. It also creates a climate of censorship in which any criticism of Islam can be dismissed as Islamophobic. The people who suffer most from such censorship are those struggling to defend basic rights within Muslim communities. Marayam Namazie is an Iranian refugee who has long campaigned for women's rights and against Islamic repression. As a result she has been condemned as an Islamophobe, even by anti-racist organisations. "On the one hand," she says, "you are threatened by the political Islamic movement with assassination or imprisonment or flogging. And on the other you have so-called progressive people who tell you that what you say in defence of humanity, in defence of equal rights for all, is racist. I think it's nothing short of an outrage." I don't see anything about the award in the papers yet (Maryam told me herself, and Azar Majedi sent a congratulatory message), so I'll just link to this for now. It wouldn't do for people not to know. Butterflies and Wheels Ophelia Benson (Editor) ____________________________________________________ zende bad maryam Mostafa Saber ____________________________________________________ hi darling maryam congratulation for wining the award, you very much deserve it. we are very proud of you. love sohaila va Ali ____________________________________________________
Az tarafe rofagaye Frankfurt SHAHNAZ MORATTAB ____________________________________________________ Congratulations Maryam Well done really! This is a good good news. A good present to you and us all. Thanks Kazem Nikkhah ____________________________________________________ salam marjam tabrik baraye jayezeh va age amadeh ahsti yek moshebe dashte basham bahat vase shomarye ayande nashryeh secolar. lotfan age madeh hasti behem khabar bede ta solato beferstam ghorbanat pooya ____________________________________________________ Maryam jan, az samime ghalb tabrik migam. well done, you deserve it and this is a success for komonisme kargari. lots of Love and kisses from Shole, Kj, Reza, Shahrokh and Mersede ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam! Congratulation I am so happy to be your comrade in our fight for a better world! ghorbanat Mahmood Ahmadi ____________________________________________________ WOooooooooooooooooooooooooooWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!! Dear Mary, Congratulations Siavash Daneshvar ____________________________________________________ Congratulations to you Maryam for your excellent work. Keep it up. Ali Javadi ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam Congratulations. In Iraq, and everywhere, the bitter struggle for secularism continues. You have made a brilliant example in showing along with Homa Arjomand that only socialists are capable of this undertaking. The fight continues. Issam Shukri The Left Worker - communist Party of Iraq - LWPI ____________________________________________________ پیام تبریک به مریم نمازی مریم عزیز انتخاب تو به عنوان سکولاریست سال ار جانب "جامعه سکولار" انگلیس خبر بسیار مسرت بخشی بود. این گام دیگری است که بدنبال پیروزی کمپین علیه دادگاههای اسلامی در کانادا، جنبش و حزب ما به جلو بر میدارد. به عقب راندن دولت کانادا و اکنون برسمیت شناسی فعالیتهای پیگیرانه تو در مقابله با اسلام سیاسی و در دفاع از حقوق پناهندگان و زنان ار جانب سکولاریستهای انگلستان نشانگر پیشتازی جنبش کمونیسم کارگری در مبارزه برای حقوق مدنی و سکولار است، حقوقی که حتی در کشورهای غربی نیز با تئوریهای ارتجاعی ای نظیر نسبت فرهنگی انکار میشود. مقابله با رسوخ مذهب در زندگی اجتماعی انسانها و تئوریهای توجیه گر آن یک ضرورت مبرم جهان ماست و حزب ما با رفقای فعال و سخت کوشی چون تو در صف مقدم این مبارزه قرار گرفته است. این موفقیت را صمیمانه به تو تبریک میگویم و برایت پیروزیهای بیشتری آرزو میکنم. ۸ اکتبر ۲۰۰۵ حمید تقوائی دبیر کمیته مرکزی حزب کمونیست کارگری ایران ____________________________________________________ maryam jan salam in mowafaqyat ra samimane beto wa jonbshe kmonisme kargari tabrik migoyem, kash nader bod wa midid ke rahbarane hezbash be koja raftan. bacahe nazat ra mibosim asangaran- mina ____________________________________________________ مريم عزيز تبريک ! از شنيدن خبر انتخاب تو بعنوان فرد سکولاريست سال در جامعه سکولارها در انگليس بسيار خوشحال شدم. خوشحال از اينکه تلاش و کار و زحمات خستگي نا پزيرو بي وقفه ات براي سکولاريسم و جدل با مذهب زدايي و اسلام سياسي در سطح جهان برسميت شناخته شد. از اينکه در يک حزب، در کنار تو مبارزه ميکنم مفتخرم. ميترا دانشي 8 اکتبر 2005 ____________________________________________________ Congrats Maryam Jan. Keep up the good work. Best Regards Shahriar (a strong supporter of capitalism with a conscience) ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam Congratulations for your well deserved NSS Irwin prize for Secularist of the Year award yesterday – bravely and so entertainingly achieved! Simon Baddeley ____________________________________________________ Maryam, Congratulations! It has been quite a trip since SIPA days. Best regards, Roy Williams ____________________________________________________ mariam jan behet samimane tabrik migam va barat arezoye movafaqyat haye bishtar va bishtary daram! lots of love mariam taheri ____________________________________________________ Maryam jan ma behet eftexar mikonim Tom & Nasi ___________________________________________________ tabrik aziz samimaneh in pirozi bozorg ra behet tabrik migoyem. to shayesteh in padash bodi. ma arezoyeh rozhayeh behtari barayet darim. Soheila va Murad sheixi Danmark ____________________________________________________ Maryam: I read what you send all the time but this time I wanted to write and tell you what wonderful work I think you are doing and that I am so pleased it has been recognized. Congratulations on this and so many other things - and so many good wishes, Mary Anne ____________________________________________________ be name khoda you really really deserve it! at least i think you deserve this price much more than mohammad El-Baradeie. bye the way i wish all the best for you despite of what do you believe or practice ya hagh JAFAR ALSAYED NOOR ____________________________________________________ Dear Mrs Namazi I wish the best for you in the way to tackle superstitious, discriminations, oppressions and dominations and I think you have been successful in this way. I am sure that one day we will have a relatively independent, wealthy and free Iran in which people live with love and social justice. Best Regards Mahmood ____________________________________________________ Congratulations, Maryam. You deserve it. I hope this is a good rebuff for certain parties who have described you and others as "Islamophobic". Keep up the excellent work. Many thanks, Anna Chen ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam... congrats! Can you send me a recent photo? jahanshah javid ____________________________________________________ Bravo and congratulation Maryam. I am so pleased to hear this news. Who else could be as suitable for this honor as you, the secularist of the year. I have not met you but your mind is reflected in your writings and interviews. Despite my sincere support for the women's cause everywhere, as you know my priority has been supporting Kurdish cause at this stage. It is an interesting coincident that my last article related to Kurdish women might be consistent with your hope for the women everywhere. Ba dorood, Kamal H Artin, California ____________________________________________________ مريم عزيز صميمانه بهت تبريک ميگم٬ به تو٬ به حزب٬ به تمام انسانهاى آزاده که براى برپايى دنياى بهتر مبارزه ميکنند. اين دستاورد بزرگى براى جنبش آزاديخواهى و سکولاريسم در سراسر جهان است٬ اين سنگر مهمى براى جنبش ما است که تو آن را فتح کردى اما اين فقط يک سنگر است براى استقرار سکولارسيم واقعى براى استقرار سوسياليسم و آزادىخواهى به اميد فتخ سنگرهاى بزرگتر ميبوسمت سياوش مدرسى برلين ۹ اکتبر ۲۰۰۵ ____________________________________________________ DEAR MS MARYAM CONGRATULATION FOR YOUR RECENT SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT.KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. SINCERLY, AHMAD ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam: Thank you for keeping me on your mailing list. Congratulations on this award. I know it is only small recognition compared with the work involved. I admire your work even if I have a different take. I went to Iran in March to meet with the Center for Human Rights Studies at Mofid University. I was struck by our ignorance of their work and the quantity and quality of their personal and library collections of major western works in human rights and philosophy. J. Paul Martin Executive Director Center for the Study of Human Rights 1108 IAB, Mailcode 3365 Columbia University New York, NY 10027, USA ____________________________________________________ salam Congratulations to Maryam Aziz tabrikat samimane ma ra be pazirid. zande bud nader aziz.zande bud maryam aziz zande bud HKK aziz shod, pirpz bashid. yak bar digar tabrikat samimane ma ra be pazirid. cu soon bye Kia Sanjary ____________________________________________________
مریم عزیز سلام امید ورام که شاد و خوش باشی مریم جان گرفتن جایزه سکولاریست سال را از صمیم قلب تبریک میگویم و خوشحالم که جنبش گمویزم کار گری به یمن تلاش شبانه روزی انسانهای بزرگی مثل شما تا این حد در سطح جامعه پیشرفته است. مریم عزیز تلاش و مبارزه وقفه ناپزیر شما برای بدست آوردن حقوق انسان شایسته جوایز خیلی بیشتر از اینها میباشد که میبایست از طرف نهادهای بین المللی به شمب تعلق بیگرد . بار دیگر این پیروزی را از صمیم قلب تبریک میگویم، و موفقیا های بیشتری را برایت آرزو میکنم. دوست همیشه گی شما رحیم یزدانپرست 9-10-2005 ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam, I was very joyed to receive from you the news that you have been adjudged by the National Secular Society (NSS) as the Secular of the Year 2005. On behalf of your Journal of Brave Minds, the Institute, the editorial team, the international advisory board and myself, congratulations. Considering the significance of this event, I'll increase pages in the current issue JBM 8 to have it included, while it is on its way to the printer this week. My heartfelt wishes to you. We are proud to have you with us. Be well, Marvin F. Zayed ____________________________________________________ Congratulations! You deserved the award. Thank you for what you are doing. Sheila Ayala/Canada ____________________________________________________ congratulations Maryam !! Nico ____________________________________________________ Congratulations! I am so pleased that you won this award - and it is well deserved. Hanne Stinson ____________________________________________________ This is so fantastic. Congratulations. Too bad you Perhaps on Friday the 21st? The workshop is that I was thinking an hour interview if you have the time Thanks again Maryam. I will be in touch. all the best, Priya ____________________________________________________ رفیق عزیز و گرامی مریم نمازی! از اینکه بعنوان سکولاریست سال انتخاب شدید بینهایت خوشحالیم و صمیمانه بهت تبریک میگوئیم. این موفقیت ضمن ارج گذاشتن به کارهای بزرگ و انسانی شما سند زنده ای از این واقعیت است که کمونیستها پرچمدار برابری و انسانیت و سکولاریسم واقعی هستند. بار دیگر ضمن تبریک مجدد دستت را بگرمی میفشاریم و برایت بهترین آرزو ها را داریم. شاد و پیروز باشید. پروین کابلی اسماعیل مولودی سوئد 9 اکتبر 2005 ____________________________________________________ maryam jan khaste nabashi, foqolade tabrik migam behet wa omidwaram ke to har zamine az zendegit mowafaq wa piroz bashi maryam jan besyar tabrik wa arezoye mowafaqyathaye bishtar ba salamhaye farawan surush,magid,porya,kathy,pedram mibosimet ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam, many congrats - so well deserved!! And so good that there is now a Secularist of the Year award - let's hope this gains support and recognition in wider society - not least among left circles. Best, Rumy ____________________________________________________ Fantastic dear Maryam. Congratulations & well done. What a great year! Lots of love Bahram Soroush ____________________________________________________ well done girl!!! you go girl rohollah afrogheh South Africa ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam, Congratulations! This is Doris from GABRIELA Network in NYC. It has been more than 5 or 6 (?) years since we last spoke, and I think you were still here in NY. And I wish you're here in NY now because we are actually hosting a woman from the Philippines who chairs Bangsamoro Women, a secular Muslim Filipinas' organization and a member of GABRIELA Philippines women's alliance. We would've loved to introduce her to you. Or maybe you know each other already? Her name's Amirah Ali Lidasan. She's also the spokesperson for the Soara Bangsamoro Political Party and vice-chair of BAYAN Philippines/New Patriotic Alliance. We're holding a public forum with her and the secretary general of GABRIELA Philippines next month (I'll email you details, just in case you happen to be here or know of anyone who might be interested.) On another note, I will be in London some time early/mid 2006, partly to visit friends, but more to check-out what's happening with the immigrant communities there, particularly with women of Philippine ancestry. I hope we can arrange to meet. Again, congratulations on this award. Also, congratulations with the baby (I remember reading on the WPI website about you being on maternity leave). Looking forward to hearing from you, In militant sisterhood, ............. Dorotea Agustin Mendoza Secretary General, GABRIELA Network USA A Philippine-US Women's Solidarity Mass Organization PO Box 403, Times Square Station New York, New York 10036 USA ____________________________________________________ مريم نمازي تفوز بجائزة اروين الاولى"علمانية العام"
تقدمة كيث بورتيوس لمريم نمازي ولدت مريم نمازي في طهران وتركت ايران مع عائلتها في العام 1980 بعد تأسيس الجمهورية الاسلامية. عاشت بعدها في الهند وبريطانيا واستقرت في الولايات المتحدة عندما بدأت بدراستها الجامعية بعمر 17. بعد تخرجها ذهبت مريم الى السودان للعمل مع المهاجرين الاثيوبيين. وفي منتصف طريق بقاءها هناك استلمت السلطة حكومة اسلامية هناك. تم تهديدها من قبل الحكومة الاسلامية لانشائها منظمة حقوق انسان سرية مما اظطرها الى اخلاء البلد من اجل سلامتها. وعند رجوعها الى الولايات المتحدة عملت مريم مع مختلف المنظمات المختصة بحقوق الانسان واللاجئين. أسست لجنة المساعدة الانسانية للاجئين الايرانيين في العام 1991. وفي العام 1994 ذهبت الى تركيا وقامت بانتاج فيلم عن حالة المهاجرين الايرانيين هناك. وبعد عودتها الى امريكا تم انتخابها المديرة التنفيذية للمجلس العالمي للاجئين الايرانيين وهي منظمة عالمية لها 60 فرع في 20 دولة. وبوصفها مديرة للمنظمة فقد قامت بحملات باسم الالاف من الايرانيين طالبي الحماية واللجوء وتدخلت بنجاح في العديد من الحالات. ومنها التدخل لانقاذ 1000 لاجئ من خطر الابعاد من هولندا وقد تحدثت حينها في البرلمان الهولندي وكذلك قيامها بحملة ناجحة ضد الحكومة التركية لتمديد مدة طالبي اللجوء اللازمة للحصول على اللجوء. مريم نمازي ايضا عضوة في المجلس المركزي لمنظمة حرية المرأة في ايران منذ تأسيسها وعملت من خلالها في العديد من الحملات ومنها تلك المناهضة للرجم بالحجارة والاعدام والفصل الجنسي وانتهاك حقوق النساء وخاصة في المجتمعات الاسلامية. بعض تلك الحملات الناجحة تلك التي قادتها هومى ارجمند ضد محاكم الشريعة الاسلامية في كندا. لقد تحدثت مريم في اول اجتماع عمومي في تورونتو واستمرت بمساندة وابراز الحملة والتعبئة لها منذ ذلك الحين. ومن الحملات الاخرى التي شاركت بها منع الرجم بالحجارة والاعدام في المجتمعات الاسلامية ومعارضة حجاب الاطفال ومعارضة القوانين الاسلامية والشريعة والدفاع عن منع الرموز الدينية في المدارس والمؤسسات الرسمية ومعارضة قرار الحث على الكراهية الدينية في بريطانيا والدعوة الى العلمانية واستئصال الدين من المجتمع ليس فقط في ايران ولكن في بريطانيا واماكن اخرى. تشغل مريم مسؤولية اذاعية ومعلقة في تلفزيون انترناشونال حول مواضيع الحقوق والنسبية الثقافية والعلمانية والدين والاسلام السياسي ومواضيع اخرى متعلقة. ان البزوغ الحالي للاسلام قد حفز اهتمام مريم على العمل واخيرا فان كتاباتها قد حصلت على اهتمام الجمهور الواسع. لقد تحدثت في مختلف المؤتمرات وكتبت بشكل واسع حول مسائل حقوق المرأة وخاصة العنف ضد النساء. وموخرا كانت مريم معدة لبرنامج اسبوعي في تلفزيون انترناشونال. وهذا البرنامج يبث بالستالايت للشرق الاوسط واوربا ومن الممكن مشاهدته بالانترنيت. ان البرنامج يركز على المسائل الخاصة بالشرق الاوسط من وجهة نظر يسارية. البرنامج يدعو الى العلمانية وقيم اخرى وقد حصل على نسبة معتبرة من المشاهدين في ايران والشرق الاوسط كما في اوروبا والغرب. تثير القضايا التي يتناولها البرنامج الكثير من الرسائل وتم انتقاد مريم من قبل الاسلاميين ومن قبل الجمهورية الاسلامية في ايران وكذلك من قبل كين ليفنغستون * بعد دعوته ليوسف القرضاوي لزيارة بريطانيا. انها بالتأكيد تعمل شيئا ما بشكل صحيح. ايها السيدات والسادة انا متأكدة من انكم ستوافقوننا الرأي بان مريم نمازي هي انسان نبيل ويستأهل منحه جائزة اروين الاولى. خطاب مريم نمازي في الاحتفال انه لشرف عظيم ان انال جائزة علمانية العام وخاصة اذا اخذنا بنظر الاعتبار العمل المميز الطويل للمجتمع العلماني الوطني من اجل العلمانية وقيم العقلانية. وبالرغم من وجود العديد من الناس الذين عملوا على مقربة مني وساعدوني في المعركة من اجل العلمانية، فان هنالك شخص واحد – منصور حكمت، والذي يجب ان يحتفى به اليوم، لانه قد الهمني ومعي جيل كامل من العلمانيين في ايران والشرق الاوسط والكثير منهم اليوم يقف في الجبهة الامامية للقتال من اجل العلمانية هنا وكذلك في الدول التي قد هربوا منها. ان مثالا جيدا على اؤلئك هو لهومى ارجمند وحملتها الناجحة ضد محكمة الشريعة في كندا. ان استمرار عمل المجتمع العلماني الوطني وكذلك جائزة اروين المستحدثة لعلماني العام تفصح عن حقيقة ان القتال من اجل العلمانية هو مرة اخرى احد اهم المعارك لتحرير الانسانية من سطوة الدين. هذه المعركة على اية حال مختلفة قليلا من تلك التي تم خوضها قبل عدة قرون مضت. بالرغم من ان الدين يواجه اليوم نهوضا عاما فان حركةالاسلام السياسي هي التي تتزعم تلك الحركة اليوم. هذا النهوض يحدث في خضم النظام العالمي الجديد والتي من خلاله فان تلك المفاهيم والقيم العالمية التي كانت تؤخذ كبديهة قبل عقود قليلة لا يمكن اليوم ان تؤخذ بنفس القدر من البديهة. في هذه الاجواء من النسبية الثقافية فان الاسلاميين واعتذارييهم قد قاموا باستغلال لغة الحقوق ببراعة من اجل خداع واخراس اي معارضة لهم. وبالطبع فانه عندما لا تنفع اساليبهم هذه، فانهم يبدأون باصدار الفتاوي والتهديدات بالقتل. في هذا السياق فان حظر الرموز الدينية البارزة في المدارس الرسمية والمعاهد في فرنسا – وهو اكثر الحقوق الاساسية في فصل الدين عن الدولة بالرغم من كونه مايزال مطلب ضئيل جدا – فانهم يقولون ان ذلك القرار " تمييزي" وانه " تقييد" على " الحريات الدينية" و" حرية المعتقد" وحتى على اساس كونه " انتهاك لحقوق النساء والفتيات" من قبل المجموعات الاسلامية في بريطانيا. حاولوا ان يراجعوا ويحرفوا كل معنى ممكن لكل المفاهيم الاساسية. التسامح هو تعبير اخر يستعمله الاسلاميون. مرة اخرى هم يحورون فكرة التسامح مع البشر – والتي يستحقون اكثر بكثير من مجرد التسامح برأيي- الى التسامح مع كل المعتقدات والافكار وخاصة افكارهم ومعتقداتهم هم. كذلك فانهم غالبا ما يتحدثون عن العدالة والمساواة. ان المناصرين لمحاكم الشريعة في كندا والحث على قوانين الكراهية الدينية او المدارس الاسلامية في بريطانيا يقولون بانهم فقط يريدون ان يحصلوا على ما حصلت عليه الجماعات الاخرى. يا للسخرية، فان اساس المساواة لا يكمن في المقاييس العالية المتوفرة في المجتمع كما يتوقعها الانسان بل باحطها واكثرها رجعية !. ولا تجعلوني رجاءاً اتحدث عن الاسلاموفوبيا "رهاب الاسلام" **. انهم اليوم يعتبرون من يتنقد المعتقدات والافكار والحركات المتصلة بهذه المعتقدات، انسان عنصري. ولكن - يا لغبائي – فقد اعتقدت ومنذ وقت طويل بان تهمة العنصرية تطلق ضد منتقدي الافراد والجماعات من البشر وليس منتقدي الافكار والحركات السياسية. ومن نافل القول انه حتى افكارهم السخيفة حول الحقوق والمساواة تذروها الرياح بمجرد وصولهم الى السلطة. في ايران والعراق وفي اماكن اخرى انهم يقتلون ويقطعون اجزاء من اجساد البشر بلا تمييز ولا يسامحون اي شئ ولا اي احد ويقولون بان فعلهم هذا هو حقهم الالهي. وبالطبع فان هذه الموجة تخف ببطئ، والفضل لعملنا الذي نقوم به جميعا وحقيقة، ان الوجه الحقير للحركات الدينية اصبح مألوفا للناس حول العالم. ولكن هنالك الكثير مما يجب عمله وكما تعرفون اكثر من الاخرين. اننا بحاجة الى المطالبة غير المهادنة والحادة والتي بلا حياء بالعلمانية – المواجهة الشرسة- ولكن مرة اخرى، ان ذلك هو اقل ما يمكن عمله اذا كنا نود ان نتيقن بان القيم الانسانية مصانة وبان الانسان سيظل في المقام الاول. اليوم اكثر من اي وقت مضى فاننا بحاجة الى استئصال كامل للدين من المجتمع. انها حاجة عصرنا الراهن حقاً. Maryam Namazie BM Box 8927, London WC1N 3XX England Tel: +44 (0) 7719166731 m.namazie@ukonline.co.uk www.anternasional.tv/english www.wpiran.org/english.htm * محافظ لندن ** اسلاموفوبيا وتعني حرفيا الهلع من الاسلام او رهاب الاسلام - مصطلح يستعمله اعتذاريو الاسلام والانتهازيون في الغرب من اجل اتهام اي شخص ينتقد الدين الاسلامي بالعنصرية. من المعروف ان العنصرية اتهام ثقيل في دول الغرب – المترجم. ترجمه عن النص الانكليزي عصام شكــري. ____________________________________________________ Please accept my heartiest congratulations on receiving the NSS Irwin prize for Secularist of the Year award. best regards Khawaja NAVEED Aslam Magazine Editor, THE NATION daily Lahore, Pakistan. ____________________________________________________ Dear Ms. Maryam Namazie ...all I can say at this happy moment is that : Congratulations from the depths of heart for you Ms. Namazie ; the brave woman who dedicated herself for the good of woman's issues everywhere ; its a historical moment to see you surrounded by flowers of love after the great victory you have made in this long struggle against the barbarous , savage mentality which wants to enslave humanity and kill the lovely spirit of women. I really consider this prize as a symbol of human evaluation for a woman like you who could stand bravely challenging all the conspiracies of the hollow - minded category. This prize is actually honored by you since you really deserve to be a symbol of honor for all great women in the world due to the suffering , patience and pain you afforded and due to the great efforts you have done for championing the human rights particularly those of women in Iran and middle east. Accept my love. Ahmed Al-Shahmani. Writer & Researcher of civil society issues. Head of Democratic Culture Society. IRAQ. ____________________________________________________ Hearty Congratulations on “The Secularist of the Year Award-2005 This is to congratulate Ms. M. Namazi on her decoration with the said award. It is a great achievement to be honoured so. With Best wishes (A Pakistani refugee in Switzerland) Dr. M Younes Sheikh ____________________________________________________ Happy to hear this good news! Would you like to give a radio interview this Friday between 3.30 and 4.30pm. Nadim Middle East Panorama ____________________________________________________ Maryam Namazi hamishe mowaffagh bemani. Mahboubeh-Ali ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam, I just wanted to wish you hearty congratulations on your well deserved award. With best wishes Josh Kutchinsky Hampstead Humanist Society ___________________________________________________ Congratulations on winning this well - merited Award for your courageous and consistent activism on behalf of secularism and universal humanism, gender equality, and women's empowerment. Best wishes. I.K.Shukla ____________________________________________________ My Darling Maryam! Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! I don't really know how to express myself ... I am so so pleased that you won the Irwin prize for Secularist of the Year. Since I got the email saying that you were nominated for the award, I was 100% sure that you are the winner and no one Else. I am so proud of you darling! Keep up the excellent work...., we are all there for you!! Siamak Amjadi ________________________________________________ Very good news. Well done Azita ____________________________________________________ The BHA congratulates the Secularist of the Year
Hanne Stinson, executive director of the British Humanist Association said: ?We employ Maryam to manage and develop the BHA ceremonies network so that we can meet the growing demand for humanist funerals, weddings, namings and other ceremonies, but while she has been employed with us, Maryam has also continued her campaigning work. She does that as a private individual, but we are still immensely pleased that Maryam?s commitment to human rights in Iran and elsewhere in the Muslim world has been recognised in this way.? Maryam Namazie was awarded the Prize for ?Secularist of the Year? on 8 October, having been judged to have made the most significant contribution to the promotion of secularism in the preceding year. The ?5,000 annual prize was presented by Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee at a lunch at the Montcalm Hotel in London. The event also featured a cabaret from stand-up comedian Stewart Lee, co-author of the controversial ?Jerry Springer ? the Opera?, who is also one of the BHA?s ?distinguished supporters of Humanism?. Notes for editors: For further information or comment, contact Hanne Stinson or phone 020 7079 3580. Maryam Namazie is currently on leave, but the BHA can forward emails to her or ask her to telephone media enquirers. ____________________________________________________ ba salam va tabrik be monaseb movafaqiat baraye sokolarist sal shenaxte shodid. xabar besyar xoshayandi baraye ma bod. ba arzuye movaqiat-haye bishtar Mehran Azimi Langaroud - Iran www.azadveb.blogfa.com ____________________________________________________ MARYAM NAMAZIE NAMED “SECULARIST OF THE YEAR” Maryam Namazie, inveterate campaigner for the rights of women and refugees in Islamic countries was named as the winner of the inaugural Irwin Prize for Secularist of the Year last Saturday. Maryam received her prize – a cheque for £5,000, sponsored by Dr Michael Irwin – from Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee at a glittering event in London. The happy crowd who arrived at the Montcalm Hotel on Saturday were also joined by Honorary Associates Dr Evan Harris MP, Joan Smith, Martin Rowson and Jonathan Meades. The hilarious entertainment was provided by top notch comedian Stewart Lee, who is co-author of Jerry Springer- The Opera. His joke about what happens if you lick a lollipop with the face of the pope on it doesn’t bear repeating in a family e-letter. Maryam Namazie received a standing ovation when the time came to reveal her as the winner. Introducing Maryam, Keith Porteous Wood, NSS executive director said: “'Maryam is an inveterate commentator and broadcaster on rights, cultural relativism, secularism, religion, political Islam and many other related topics. The present revival of Islam has heightened interest in Maryam’s work, and at last her writings are gaining a mainstream audience. She has spoken at numerous conferences and written extensively on women’s rights issues, particularly violence against women.” In her acceptance speech, Maryam acknowledged Mansoor Hekmat’s role in inspiring an entire generation of secularists and spoke of the rise of the political Islamic movement and its attempts to dupe and silence opposition using rights language. She went on to say: “We need an uncompromising and shamelessly aggressive demand for secularism but again this is only a minimum if we are to ensure that human values are safeguarded and that the human being is put first and foremost. Today, more than ever, we are in need of the complete de-religionisation of society as well.” Maryam is a well known campaigner for secularism and refugee and women’s rights and against political Islam. She is host of TV International, a Central Council member of the Organisation of Women’s Liberation, and director of the International Relations Committee of the Worker-communist Party of Iran amongst others. Seven others had been nominated, including the Somali-born Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who has highlighted violence against Muslim women and Nicholas Hytner, director of Britain’s National Theatre, who came under fire for staging the musical Jerry Springer -- The Opera, which many Christians regard as blasphemous. A lifetime achievement award for services to secularism was also made to veteran NSS campaigner Bill McIlroy. In over half a century of dedicated service to the NSS, Bill has been the full time employee and also editor of the Freethinker on several occasions. He is still on the NSS council, although he is retiring from his duties at the end of the present term in November. Bill was completely unaware that this prize would be presented and received a rapturous reception as he came up to receive his award. It is hoped that a DVD of the event will be made available soon. ____________________________________________________ Congratulations, Maryam! Marilyn Mason ____________________________________________________ Dear Maryam, I was delighted to hear that you have been awarded the very first Secularist of the Year Award, in recognition of your work in women's rights and for rationalism in general. Well done! I hope this will put courage into the hearts of many who are struggling for a voice in oppressive regimes worldwide. Best wishes and long may you prosper, Mandy Holloway Darwin Centre NHM Maryam Namazie |
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