Omid MemorialThe men and women whose stories you can read on this page are now all citizens of a silent city named Omid ("hope" in Persian). There, victims of persecution have found a common life whose substance is memory.Omid's citizens were of varying social origins, nationalities, and religions; they held diverse, and often opposing, opinions and ideologies. Despite the differences in their personality, spirit, and moral fiber, they are all united in Omid by their natural rights and their humanity. What makes them fellow citizens is the fact that one day each of them was unfairly and arbitrarily deprived of his or her life. At that moment, while the world watched the unspeakable happen, an individual destiny was shattered, a family was destroyed, and an indescribable suffering was inflicted.  Soheila Mohammad-Rahimi…Soheila, daughter of Jalil, was compassionate, liked books, and loved to sing. Within a family of leftists, hers was a quiet commitment.  Bijan Hoda'i…Bijan read precociously as a boy, auditing elementary school classes before they’d let him officially enroll. His manners were gentle as he grew into active, passionate, Iranian politics.  Mohsen Khajenuri (Khadjehnouri)…In Parliament, Mr. Khajenuri provided a medical dispensary and clean water for his district. He would later defend Iranian Freemasonry as part of a tradition including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. |
