As a species, we human beings have dealt with our stresses, anxieties, fears, and griefs with arts. The drawings on cave walls dating back to the first signs of human existence on the planet earth show that the arts' healing power is part of our DNA.

 Tragedies plagued 2020 after disasters and death. Millions died, and millions lost loved ones. Several million jobs vanished. The whole world went into a lockdown and spent months in uncertainty. 

We are still not out of the woods. We have no idea what the post-pandemic world would look like. Who will survive, who will even manage to hold on to his/her job and what are our challenges. The struggle to cope with the most unprecedented crisis for our generation continues to linger on.

In these challenging times, we need to build our community and communal bonds. We need to break our isolation. We need to heal and deal with our ongoing complexities. And remain hopeful, energized, and inspired.

The Art project attempts to reach out to what can bring us together, strengthen our communal bonds, and help us deal with the everyday hardship that has fallen upon us. Art heals us![1]

It has kickstarted with a focus on women since data shows that the burden of community psychological and physical health disproportionately falls on women[2]. Global data also shows that women typically are overrepresented among those with less access to economic resources and, as a result, have suffered disproportionately. [3]. Not to mention the fact that quarantine has led to a rise in domestic violence[4].

 For these reasons, and to help commemorate International Women’s Day  on March 8, we have decided to launch this effort. Join us in this effort for community resilience building and support Art Project 1400.

[1] https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/sporting-moments/201905/art-healing-expression

[2] https://theconversation.com/the-covid-19-pandemic-exacerbates-the-pressures-faced-by-women-caregivers-143576

[3] https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201021-why-this-recession-disproportionately-affects-women

[4] https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201021-why-this-recession-disproportionately-affects-women

Memorial Digital Events:

The Association of Families of Flight PS752: https://www.ps752justice.com/events/categories/ps752-first-anniversary/

McGill University’s Iranian Student Association: https://fb.me/e/Z9vMJkHs

University of Ottawa’s Iranian Student Association: https://fb.me/e/133Gg5r6x

Memorial for the UofT student victims of flight PS752: https://fb.me/e/34olijGGL

Memorial In-Person Social Distancing Events:

PS752 Anniversary in Edmonton - Jan 8, 5:30-6:30 MST
Alberta Legislature Ground

https://www.facebook.com/PS752Justice/photos/gm.232950701568179/240077920886950/?type=3&source=57 

Universities memorial funds accepting donations:

University of Alberta: https://www.ualberta.ca/flight-ps752-memorial/memorial-fund.html

University of British Columbia: https://support.ubc.ca/projects/iranian-student-memorial-award/

Queens University: https://www.givetoqueens.ca/project/view/1209

University of Ottawa: https://www.uottawa.ca/give/iranian-students-memorial-scholarship-fund

University of Manitoba: https://give.umanitoba.ca/funds/PS752-fellowship-page

Western University: https://www.westernconnect.ca/site/SPageNavigator/Flight752_Memorial_Graduate_Scholarship.html

University of Victoria: https://extrweb.uvic.ca/donate-online/iranian-student-memorial

University of Toronto: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/45925 

University of Toronto - Computer Science: https://web.cs.toronto.edu/beiruti-and-saleheh-memorial

Fundraising efforts:

PS752 Memorial Charity Fund:

https://paradisecharity.org/ps752-uoft/

PS752 Justice:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ps752justice2021?fbclid=IwAR2KJizZ37kBloPV0800GdVfyrwGfeY6iTZW2XtYZk8zjJ9Obz_2VNw6bkw 

Canadian Iranian Foundation - Supporting the Victims’ Families and Loved Ones:

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/canadian-iranian-foundation/campaign/flight-ps752/

Disclaimer: The ICC does not take any responsibility or make any guarantees on how the donations are used.

This week marks the first anniversary of the tragic plane downing of PS752 by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missiles. This tragedy took the lives of 176 passengers and crew - 138 of whom were travelling to Canada. These individuals were irreplaceable members of communities. January 8, 2020 marked an unbelievable amount of loss for the Iranian-Canadian community and communities across Canada. This week we remember the beautiful lives lost and recommit ourselves to accountability and justice. 

The Iranian Canadian Congress extends our deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones and to our entire community who are mourning this tragedy. We know that this time will be even harder because we cannot gather to mourn and many of us will have to mourn alone. Please take time to check in on your friends and loved ones. The wounds left by the loss of such brilliant and extraordinary members of our community are still fresh in our hearts and minds. We re-commit to supporting the efforts to seek transparency, accountability, and justice for the victims and their families.

Today, we renew our calls to the Canadian Government in: 

1. Continuing to work diligently with Afghanistan, Sweden, Ukraine, and United Kingdom,  in the International Coordination Response Group, to demand answers, accountability, transparency, and justice for the families of victims in compliance with the international law;
2. Continuing to call for a thorough and transparent investigation that complies and is aligned with not only international law but also International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines as set out by the United Nations;
3. Encouraging Iran and the rest of the international community to join Canada and endorse the Safer Skies Commitment Statement. This statement reinforces the importance of safe civil aviation operations around the world, and calls on the international community to renew their commitment to a global strategy in addressing the risk that exists within conflict zones for civil aviation;
4. Continuing to support the families of the victims in not only their search for accountability, transparency, justice, and reparations but also to have access to the resources and services they need. This includes services like mental health supports and other types of assistance;
5. Continuing efforts for improving security, safety and stability, and assisting the plans for removing destabilizing foreign interference that escalate tensions in the region.

The ICC is in agreement with Prime Minister Trudeau who aptly described that the military escalation in the region created the conditions for the PS752 tragedy to occur. We will continue to echo the calls for de-escalation in hopes of creating a more peaceful world that resolves our differences with diplomacy.

As a community we need to come together and support one another during this painful time amidst a global pandemic. The ICC has compiled a list of digital vigils and commemoration events we can attend to mourn together while respecting physical distancing guidelines - please see here. Please also donate, if you can, to support scholarships that are set up to honour the victims - you can see a list here.

For the ICC 2019 Election Results and the Election Report from the Technical Expert please click on the link below:

2019 Election Results

December 11, 2020

Notice from the Technical Expert

If you have not received appropriate notices to vote in the ICC 2019 Election or participate in the 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM), you are invited to send me an email at: [email protected]. (You should check spam, promotions and junk folders first in your email system.) Each person needs a separate email address to vote and participate. 

In order to ensure sufficient time for me to complete the preparations for the 2019 Annual General Meeting, I will not receive any inquiries about missing ballots for the Election or missing notices for the AGM after Saturday, December 12, 2020, at 10:00 pm ET. 

Marcel D. Mongeon
Court appointed Technical Expert
Iranian Canadian Congress
2019 Annual General Meeting and 2019 Election

11 دسامبر 2020

اطلاعیه کارشناس فنی

اگر اطلاعیه و ایمیلهای مربوط به رای دهی در انتخابات 2019 و یا شرکت در مجمع عمومی سالانه 2019 را دریافت نکرده اید از طریق ایمیل زیر با من تماس بگیرید:

[email protected]

لطفاً ابتدا پوشه ی ایمیلهای ناخواسته خود را بررسی کنید که احیانااً ایمیلهای مربوطه در آن پوشه ها قرار نگرفته باشند .

هرعضو کنگره باید ایمیل متمایز خود را داشته باشد تا بتواند رای بدهد و در مجمع عمومی شرکت کند.

پس از ساعت 10:00 بعد از ظهر (به وقت تورنتو) روز شنبه 12 دسامبر 2020 و به جهت تدارکات و آمادگی برای مجمع عمومی سالانه 2019 ، من قادر به پاسخگویی سوالات در مورد برگه های رای و نیافتن ایمیلهای مربوطه نخواهم بود.

مارسل مونژیان

کارشناس فنی منصوب دادگاه

انتخابات 2019 و مجمع عمومی سالانه 2019

کنگره ایرانیان کانادا

Please see the Final Registration Notice for the ICC 2019 AGM and 2019 Election, from the Technical Expert by clicking the link below:

Final Registration Notice

Please see the Notice of Monitor's Determination Regarding Members' Motions at the 2019 Annual General Meeting by clicking the link below:

Notice Link