(برای مشاهده خبرنامه روی عکس کلیک نمایید)

مصاحبه دکتر آرزو خدیر با رسانه انصاف نیوز 

ICC AGM 2024 President Report

In this article a summary of ICC activities as presented by Dr. Khadir, the current president will be reviewed. The summary was divided into eight sections:

1. Completing ICC Charter and Fine-Tuning Details
2. Opinion Survey
3. Social Activism
4. Art and Culture
5. Human Rights Activities
6. Communication with Members
7. Workshops for the Community
8. Participation in the Commission to Review External Interference in Canada

Completing ICC Charter and Fine-Tuning Details

Dr. Khadir explained the completion of the ICC’s charter and fine-tuning some of the details in the by-laws. The new charter has clearer guidelines. This task was involved many hours of collaboration with Mr. Zabihioun, Dr. Ghaseminejad, and other volunteers. The final document which was crafted after numerous meetings and consultations resulted in having two different membership definitions; members in good standing are now distinguished from others. Those identified as members in good standing refer to members who actively participate and pay their renewal membership fees. Members in good standing are allowed to vote, while others are not. Another added detail was the requirement for members wishing to terminate their membership to submit a written request.

Opinion Survey

The opinion survey took place at the end of 2023. The summary of the survey indicated the following priorities:

1. Social justice and human rights and improving life quality for members.
2. Importance of ICC publications and information dissemination.
3. Continuing ICC’s informative programs on Clubhouse.
4. Workshops designed to help ICC members with various community needs.

The opinion survey further demonstrated that members continue to press and demand actions from ICC regarding:

1. Opening an Iranian Embassy in Canada.
2. Taking an active role in combating discrimination against Iranian students in Canada.
3. Advocating accountability from Canadian politicians on issues concerning the Iranian immigrant community.
4. Cooperating and collaborating with other peace-building and human rights organizations; organizing joint workshops, meetings, and gatherings through joint social activism.

In the last year alone, ICC has issued close to 13 public statements designed to protect the Iranian Diaspora in Canada. These statements were free from political factionalism and were designed to build consensus and solidarity from a human and social perspective against discrimination, in accordance with social justice and peace.

Art and Culture

ICC held a cultural event on March 8th, thanks to Ms. Asoudeh Novin, who organized an online event showcasing Iranian's art from Iran and Canada. Mr. Namdari used these artworks for a New Persian Year calendar as a fundraising effort, which was successful.

Human Rights Activities

Ms. Mona Ghasemi, ICC Vice President, was invited by a Palestinian organization to read a poem by Sepideh Jodeiri as a gesture of solidarity with human rights for the Palestinians and requesting ceasefire.

In line with 269 peace & community organizations in Canada and the global demand for peace and ceasefire, ICC issued a statement. This was followed by Ms. Ghasemi’s 50-day hunger strike in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Outreach Activities

As a way of mobilizing support for ICC, Dr. Khadir and Mona Ghassemi participated in a New Year bazaar with 11,000 participants.

Dr. Ghaseminejad, Dr. Tarani and Ms. Asoudeh Novin held several Clubhouse discussion groups. The themes of these meetings included ICC's background, the impact of sanctions on the Iranian Diaspora in Canada, challenges faced by Iranian students in Canada, the impact of mainstream and social media on the Iranian Diaspora, issues related to peace, and matters concerning the lives of Iranian Canadians. Other topics included the violation of the Geneva Convention by Israel and its consequences for Iranian Canadians and the prevention of foreign intervention in Canadian politics.

Workshops for the Community

Many members have appreciated Ms.Mona Borgheie’s workshops providing information on various topics ranging from sociology and anthropology (the latter by Mr. Danial Sarvestani) to mental health and immigration (by Dr. Raheleh Tarani). These online live workshops on Instagram have been consistently offered over 24 sessions. Educational tools such as the one on resisting online harassement and the role of media on suicide news, based on teaching tools developed by the United Nations and other international organizations, have been well received.

Participation in the Commission to Review External Interference in Canada

Members have expressed their appreciation for ICC taking the initiative in joining the commission to review foreign interference in Canada. This has been particularly important for ICC members, since other Iranian Canadian organizations had been represented whose position on the matter differed from those of ICC members. The news was well received by members at large as they were pleased that their views were voiced through ICC.

The report of the treasurer of the Iranian Canadian Congress, Mr. Mohammad Vahidi Rad:

The accounting report of the Iranian Canadian Congress was presented to the general assembly by Mrs. Nahid Nasiri.

The election results of changes to the Bylaws and the new board of directors:
At the end, Habib Ghaffari from the Election Committee presented the results of the board of directors elections and changes to the statutes to the assembly:

درباره حملات بی پایه علیه کنگره ایرانیان کانادا 

کنگره ایرانیان کانادا ، از معدود نهادهای دمکراتیک ایرانیان مهاجر است که در آن تصمیم گیری ها از طریق فرایند های دمکراتیک مشخص و قانونی مبتنی بر اساسنامه انجام می شود. عضویت در این نهاد، برای عموم باز و غیرگزینشی بوده و تک تک اعضا با داشتن حق رای مساوی در انتخاب اعضای هیات مدیره و تعیین سرنوشت و جهتگیری کنگره نقش بازی میکنند. 

در طی چهار سال گذشته، گروهی از طریق انتشار انواع اتهامات و اخبار بی اساس در حال گمراه کردن اعضای جامعه نسبت به این نهاد بوده اند. این گروه با زیر پا گذاشتن اصول دموکراتیک،  خواهان تعیین تکلیف دستوری برای کنگره ایرانیان کانادا میشوند. ایشان علی رغم این که در انتخابات برگزار شده زیر نظر دادگاه کانادایی شکست خورده و موفق به ورود به هیئت مدیره این سازمان نشده اند ، همه ساله در زمان نزدیک به مجمع عمومی بصورت دیکتاتور مابانه ای خواهان استعفای مدیران منتخب و قانونی کنگره ایرانیان کانادا میشوند. 

این گروه میتوانند به جای نوشتن بیانیه‌های مکرر، عضو کنگره شوند و با مشارکت فعال در انتخابات و رای‌گیری‌ها، هیات مدیره را تغییر دهند و سیاست‌های جدیدی را اتخاذ کنند. ما از همه اعضای فعلی و آینده کنگره ایرانیان کانادا می‌خواهیم که با احترام به اصول دموکراسی و با مشارکت فعال بیش از پیش در فرآیندهای این نهاد شرکت کنند.  

تنها از طریق مسیرهای دموکراتیک و قانونی است که می‌توانیم تغییرات واقعی و پایدار را ایجاد کنیم و به آینده‌ای روشن‌تر برای جامعه ایرانی در کانادا دست یابیم.  

ICC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AGM 2024 RECORDING

ویدیوی کامل جلسه مجمع عمومی سال 2024 کنگره ایرانیان کانادا

https://youtu.be/BFyQZdjc3XM?feature=shared

The election committee announced the following new Board of directors have been elected for a period of two years: 

1. Ms. Shila Doaee
2. Ms. Arghavan Emami

ویدیوی کامل جلسه مجمع عمومی سال 2024 کنگره ایرانیان کانادا

https://youtu.be/BFyQZdjc3XM?feature=shared

گزارش سالانه دکتر آرزو خدیر، رییس کنگره ایرانیان کانادا در مجمع عمومی

https://youtu.be/OHyWdRqPByY?si=8y-tbdRWyB5XzPsX

گزارش حسابداری کنگره ایرانیان کانادا توسط محمد وحیدی راد در مجمع عمومی 

https://youtu.be/7XEMnoZTChQ?si=Kvgd_lyB-gaB0D_I

نتایج انتخابات مجمع عمومی سال 2024 کنگره ایرانیان کانادا

https://youtu.be/55SVQL2vsY8?si=YD15DovzWp5YUH13

The election results are announced as detailed here. 

The upcoming Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC) annual general meeting (AGM 2024) will be held online on July 6, 2024, at 1:00 pm ET. A video call link to attend the meeting will be shared with the members through email in future communication. The agenda of the meeting is as follows:  

• Call to order  
• President’s report  
• Treasurer’s report and review of the 2023 financial statement
• Q&A   
• Announcement of the board election results    
• Adjournment  

Please note that an election is also held for the ICC Charter and modifications to article 15 of the bylaws and two available seats on the board of directors of the ICC. The election will be held by online voting which has started on Saturday June 29th, 2024 and will end on July 6th, 2024, at 1:30 pm. The election will be conducted through a platform called Electionbuddy and you have received an email from Electionbuddy with instructions for voting.   

You can find information about the proposed modifications and the candidates by visiting the above links as well as watching this introduction video.  

Thank you for being a valued member of the ICC.  

Iranian Canadian Congress
http://www.iccongress.ca/

ICC Warns Against Escalation of Tensions in Canada-Iran Relations 

On Wednesday June 19, 2024, the Government of Canada designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity under the Canadian Criminal Code. The Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC) has consistently condemned the IRGC's downing of Ukrainian flight PS752 and has advocated for justice and accountability for the victims and their families. The ICC has also urged Iran to adhere to its international human rights obligations. 

However, the ICC views the designation of an official military branch of a sovereign nation—which has mandatory conscription—as reckless and inconsistent with the decision taken by most countries allied with Canada. This designation occurred the day after the UN Human Rights “Commission found that Israeli authorities are responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare, murder or wilful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention and outrages upon personal dignity. " This action, at a time when regional tensions are at an all-time high and there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza expanding into a broader regional conflict, particularly along the Israel-Lebanon border and  when the region most needs Canada to act constructively as an honest broker to help deescalate tensions in the region, endangers Canada’s interests in the region and the safety of Canadian citizens traveling to Iran or living in Iran. 

Despite calls from Iranian Canadians and experts to safeguard individuals who have completed their mandatory military service in the IRGC, the Canadian government has yet to implement specific exclusions from this designation. For over six years, the Prime Minister and his cabinet have said that they have been working on developing a responsible approach to this issue. However, when questioned by reporters, the Minister of Justice offered only a vague response, stating that cases involving former IRGC conscripts would be evaluated individually. The ICC strongly urges the federal government to ensure that the IRGC designation does not indiscriminately apply to individuals compelled to serve in the IRGC who have not engaged in any criminal activities under Canadian law. 

In 2019, the Trump administration designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist entity in the United States, which led to the escalation of tensions between the two countries, culminating in the downing of flight PS7522. At the time, Prime Minister Trudeau correctly stated that “if there were no tensions, if there was no escalation recently in the region, those Canadians would be right now home with their families." It is extremely disappointing that our country has taken an action that will neither advance Canada's national interests nor benefit the people of Iran, nor will it help de-escalate tensions in the region. 

Arghavan Emami was born in Tehran, Iran and is currently resident of BC, Canada. She got her BSc degree in Electrical Engineering in Iran and MSc in MIMO Wireless Channel Modeling for Conventional Environments and PhD in MIMO Wireless Channel Modeling for Underground Tunnels, in Canada. She is recipient of numerous postgraduate scholarships during her PhD program, and has contributed in academic community by various scientific journal publications in her field of research. She also has about 15 years of experience in Telecom Industry.

Arghavan is passionate about volunteering in charities, helping unprivileged people to have a better life, and promoting peace through activities against war, occupation, sanction, racism and Islamophobia. She has voluntarily helped and supported many Iranian newcomers to have an easier and smoother transition.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading Iranian poems, swimming, playing badminton, hiking, and baking.

ارغوان امامی متولد شهر تهران در ایران بوده و هم اکنون مقیم استان بی سی در کانادا می‌باشد. او مدرک کارشناسی خود را در رشته مهندسی برق در ایران و کارشناسی ارشد خود را در زمینه مدل سازی کانال های بی سیم MIMO برای محیط های عادی، و دکترای خود را در زمینه مدل سازی کانال های بی سیم MIMO برای تونل های زیرزمینی، در کانادا گرفته است. او در طول دوره دکترای خود بورسیه های تحصیلات تکمیلی متعددی دریافت کرده است و با انتشار مقالات علمی متعدد در زمینه تحقیقاتی خود در جامعه دانشگاهی مشارکت داشته است. او همچنین دارای حدود ۱۵ سال تجربه در صنعت مخابرات می‌باشد.

ارغوان علاقمند کارهای داوطلبانه در موسسات خیریه، کمک به نیازمندان برای داشتن زندگی بهتر، و ترویج صلح از طریق فعالیت‌های علیه جنگ، اشغال، تحریم، نژادپرستی و اسلام‌هراسی است. او داوطلبانه به بسیاری از تازه واردان ایرانی کمک و از آنها حمایت کرده است تا مهاجرت آسان‌تر و روان‌تری را تجربه کنند.

او اوقات فراغت خود را صرف خواندن اشعار ایرانی، شنا، بدمینتون، پیاده روی و شیرینی پزی می کند.

Shila Doaee is a nurse. She worked hard during the pandemic Covid 19. 

She is a mother as well. She migrated to Canada to create a peaceful mind for her children. 

The nomination window for the upcoming ICC election was closed on June 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET. The ICC has received emails from the following individuals (ordered alphabetically): 

Ms. Shila Doaee: Ms. Doaee is currently an ICC member. Upon reviewing her membership history, it was realized that she does not meet the nomination criterion of being a regular member with “good standing for at least one year prior to the election” as outlined in the by-laws. 

Ms. Arghavan Emami: Ms. Emami is currently an ICC member. Upon reviewing her membership history, it was realized that she does not meet the nomination criterion of being a regular member with “good standing for at least one year prior to the election” as outlined in the by-laws. 

According to the ICC by-laws, candidates, who do not meet the criterion of being a regular member with good standing for at least one year prior to the election, can request for an exemption from the members. To facilitate such a request, members will be asked if they are in favor of granting such an exemption in this election on the election ballot. 

The ICC election committee