As Persian New Year quickly approaches, the Iranian Canadian Congress is raising $11,401 in honor of Nowruz 1401 for the Richmond Hill Community Food Bank. This time of year reminds us of the power of community and the importance of giving back. It is our opportunity as the Iranian Canadian community to help raise funds for organizations that do good work and support those who are struggling.

Join us in reaching our goal of raising $11,401 for Nowruz 1401!

Your full donation will be directly sent to the Richmond Hill Food Bank and you will receive a tax receipt for your donation.

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/iccs-1401-nowruz-fundraiser-richmond-hill

"Iran is one of Canada’s leading source countries for immigrants and international students, yet Iranians have to travel to neighboring Turkey or the United Arab Emirates to apply for their visas and study permits first. Moslem Noori, the president of the Iranian-Canadian Congress, calls this plainly 'discriminatory'."

Report regarding the lack of Canadian Visa offices in Iran by Fernando Arce

New Canadian Media

Toronto Star

ICJournal

دکتر مسلم نوری، ریاست کنگره ایرانیان کانادا، در ابتدای جلسه اعلام کرد بیش از 50 % اعضا در انتخابات اینترنتی کنگره شرکت کرده‌اند و بدین ترتیب حد نصاب لازم حاصل شده است.

ویدیوی کامل گزارش ریاست کنگره ایرانیان کانادا در مجمع عمومی ژانویه 2022

The President of Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC), Dr. Moslem Noori, began the AGM session by declaring the quorum has been reached with more than 50% of members voted in the online election.  

Full video of President's report at ICC Annual General Meeting January 2022

In a tweet published on 24 January 2022 on the subject of recent escalations in the Middle East, Foreign Policy CAN (the official Twitter account for Global Affairs Canada) has used the false term “Arabian Gulf” in reference to the Persian Gulf. 

“Persian Gulf” is the only historically accurate, legally valid and internationally recognized name for the body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. This name has been widely and globally used for over two millennia, as evidenced by thousands of historical maps from across the world. 

In its 2006 report, the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names acknowledged the legitimacy of the name Persian Gulf, citing “6000 maps and more than 200 historical and tourism books from Irastus to Herodotus to Estakhri and Ibn Houghal, who have all called the water body, Persian Gulf” and concluding that “any change, destruction, or alteration of the names registered in historical deeds and maps is like the destruction of ancient works and is considered as an improper action.” 

The term “Arabian Gulf,” on the other hand, is a product of propaganda efforts of some politicians who used it for their political gains by exploiting ethnic tensions in the region and rallying political support for their territorial ambitions. The use of such a term by an official social media account of the Government of Canada is deeply regrettable. Not only is this language diplomatically inflammatory and risks stoking already heightened tensions in the region, but it is also highly offensive to the Iranian-Canadian community.  

Altering significant geographical names that inform the identity of a community amounts to the erasure of that community’s culture and history, which goes against the Canadian Government’s official commitment to multiculturalism. Thus, the Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC) urges Global Affairs Canada to remove the divisive and misleading statement from its official channels and ensure that the historically accurate name, “Persian Gulf”, be used in all official statements and documents. 

Today marks the second anniversary of the tragic downing of flight PS752 by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missiles, and the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Air Disasters. We take this moment to recommit ourselves to transparency, accountability, and justice for the victims of Flight PS752 and their families.  

On January 8, our community was shaken to its core; this day marks a time of mourning and remembering. The Iranian Canadian Congress extends our condolences to the loved ones and family members who are still feeling the loss of the victims every day. We also hold close our fellow members of the Iranian-Canadian community who were deeply impacted by this tragedy. 

Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims who have been carrying the immense grief of this loss for the past two years. We encourage you to light a candle in remembrance of the brilliant people whose lives were taken that day.  

We encourage our community to come together and support one another as we continue to navigate the pandemic and lockdowns. Please check in on your friends and family at this difficult time and consider donating to these memorial scholarships that are in honor of the victims.

Art project 1400, Exhibition 3: Roots and Cultural Heritage

Through this virtual exhibition, ICC invites you to an alleviate celebration of art, roots and cultural heritage of the Iranians and the Turtle Islanders.

Exhibition 3: Roots and Cultural Heritage

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