Dignity Day 2008 in Tehran
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008The morning of October 20th was an ordinary day for many people, but not for a group of more than 35 tenth graders who gathered in downstairs of “Reyhan-at al- Rasoul” high school in Tehran.
This “All-Girls” high school (http://www.reyhanehschool.com) is one of the best educational centers in Tehran, in which they provide extra curricular scientific and cultural activities for students. So when we offer holding the “World Dignity Day” event, they welcomed.
Around 7:30 A.M., this group of students sat down around the table and were ready to talk about Dignity. The presenter of program (Pouria Nazemi, Senior Science Editor of Jam-e-Jam daily newspaper) started with asking them why some people in our world seemed to be difference ?
Why we enjoy listening the story of these women and men of all time ( or through history) and what things in their life made them such inspiring personalities?
He continued with short stories of some inspiring people in all around the world; the story of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. , Al Gore, and some example of Iranian who throughout the history followed their dreams and gave the light to the society.
Discussing such people; student talked about the common characters of these people and why we need them. After that the presenter talked about Dignity in their life and discussed the principles of Dignity. He continued with the meaning of dignity and why we need this concept in our today world and in our personal life.
If it is possible to reach true meaning of such concept, considering the situation of the World today ?
Students wrote their opinion about dignity and its role in our life on a piece of paper and few of them read their writings and other students discussed about them.
“I think that Dignity is important character in our world. It is reminds us that we are human. Accepting the dignity can lead us to keep our goals in mind and try to reach to them and share them with other people” One of girl wrote.
“I believe that Dignity comes from respecting each other and it will increase if we learn to respect other ideas and other cultures and before it we must learn to respect ourselves and believe in us” other one wrote.
The other girls wrote about how difficult is reaching such concept “Dignity can be achieved for all of us but it is so hard for us in societies where a very large number of people in society are not kind with each other and they use others weaknesses against them. It is very hard to reach such concept”
And the other one talked about the cost that we must pay for Dignity:”if we want to have dignity we must pay a cost for it. Maybe we must sacrificed something in the way of our goals and ready to reform our ideas and it is not easy but necessary”
After discussing about some of these writings we continue to talked about dignity principles and tell the other story about it. Story of a woman who inspiring many Persian girls in recent years. Anousheh Ansari who is the world first female space tourist is a symbol for new age of Persian girls.
At this time, Anousheh Ansari called school and students found the chance to talk with her directly via phone. She talked about her story and about the importance of the dignity in people life and after that she answered some of girls questions, she advised them to follow their dreams and don’t get disappointed about difficulties in their way.
After talking with Anousheh, group discussed about some common characters of Dignity (that noted at Global Dignity web site as A-Z of Dignity.
The event finished about 9 o’clock. But it is just the start for these girls and their friends to think about dignity and try to improve their life.
The event couldn’t be hold with great help of some people.
Saman Ghadimi and Maryam Laleh , 2 clever and active girls of this
high school who help us to hold the event.
Anousheh Ansari who offer this event and support us and help the girls to thinking more and made them happy with her clear and affective message.
