More than 41,000 people dead, 35,000 injured and 100,000 left homeless. These overwhelming numbers from the Bam, Iran earthquake strike the viewer hard on the web page of U of T’s Iranian Students’ Union. The earthquake hit on Dec. 26 and there was an immediate call for any support that could be offered.
Says Armita Azari, “I couldn’t believe what had happened…and then I watched the news. It was devastating.”
Azari is a fourth-year geological engineering student who is also the spokesperson for the ISU, and was born in Iran. Fortunately, her family back home is safe, but the event has nonetheless hit far too close to home for her and many other Iranian students. As soon as the word of the earthquake came out, an emergency meeting of the ISU was called. Members of the union then went out into the streets with banners and flyers to distribute the Red Cross telephone number and encourage donations to the cause in Bam.
A few days later, all of the Iranian student groups from U of T, Ryerson and York came together.
“[We did it] so that we could learn from each other….There is always a healthy competition going on between us, but in a situation like this we all [had to] respond together,” says Azari. Following the meeting, volunteers took Red Cross collection boxes to various locations on campus as well as to many Persian communities and shops. In this fashion they raised an amazing $5,000 to be sent to Bam.
On top of this, the ISU donated $500 in proceeds from their bi-weekly movie nights at the Koffler Center to the cause. Along with donations from other sources, the ISU raised close to $6,000.
Says Azari, “in our case, the amount of money that we collected was so huge that even the Red Cross [staff] were shocked.”
What’s more, the ISU is by no means finished raising money for this important cause that remains so close to their hearts. On Jan. 31 they will host a cultural show featuring music, dance and speeches. Miss Canada, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, who was born in Iran, will attend the event at the Toronto Art Center. This is another collaboration between not only U of T’s Iranian students, but York and Ryerson as well.
Even before the harsh impact of the Iran earthquake, the ISU has hosted many events to bring the Persian community together. “We try to…make sure that our new generation in Canada [doesn’t] forget [its] original roots,” Azari points out. “I am a Canadian citizen and I’m proud of it…but at the same time I am a Persian Canadian, not just Canadian….No matter where we go in the world we are always going to have feelings for our country and…stand for it.”
Azari adds that students should not be afraid to get involved with the ISU just because they are not of Persian descent. Events are posted on the ISU Web site, and all are welcomed to join with open arms. The goal of the organization has always been to bring people together, something that has become all the more important since the disaster in Bam.
Spokesperson Azari makes it very clear that the Iranian Students’ Union is not a political organization, but rather a group of students trying to help in any way that they can. Help they have, but even this recent donation is not enough to stop them from continuing their commendable efforts.
“If something has gone wrong [in Iran] we’re just going to be there…and make sure that we do all that we can to show our support for the people of our country.”
