Remarks delivered by H.I.M. Shahbanou Farah at
"An Evening of Celebration" Marking the 12th Anniversary of the Foundation for the Children of Iran in
Minneapolis - September 12th, 2003


The Empress delivering her speech below:

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen:

It s with a great deal of pride and pleasure that I join you in this celebration of the accomplishments of the Foundation for The Children of Iran.

It is indeed a source of immense satisfaction to observe the continued generosity of this great country and her people, and of each and every one of you who have opened your hearts to the beloved children of my country. Added to that is the pride in observing my fellow Iranians, under the leadership of my daughter-in-law Princess Yasmine, and the assistance of Ms. Nazie Eftekhari who is the volunteer President of the Foundation, who have been working so passionately and diligently on behalf of those children.

I reflect, on a personal level, at the compelling and enduring friendship between the people of Iran and the people of The United States.   I believe that my late husband, His Majesty Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as well as the leaders of The United States, planted the seeds of this friendship.Their efforts bear fruit to this day despite the pain inflicted by the misguided policies of the current government of Iran.

We collectively bear witness to the humanity and generosity of your people towards those in need around the world, transcending politics.You, the physicians and nurses who care for our children, you are the ultimate heroes as you continue to give the gift of healing.

And you, the many volunteers, and donors, without your support and kindness these amazing physicians and caregivers could not heal our children.

On behalf of my family, the families of the children you have healed, and humanitarians everywhere, I want to add my expressions of gratitude and convey the goodwill of my fellow countrymen.

So, this evening I ask you to join me in celebrating our collective achievement and the good work of this Foundation.Let us continue to extend the hand of love and caring to all.Surely when all is said and done, history will remember those who reached across barriers with kindness and friendship, the memory of which will help diminish some of the sadness we feel today.

 
Left - Princess Yasmine Pahlavi delivering her speech. See this link on Yasmine
Right - Her Majesty presents Mr. Rory Riggs with a special gift
in appreciation for his generosity towards the Foundation.

 
Her Majesty with Mr. Jerry Massman, Chief Finacial Officer
of the Children's Hospital and Mrs. Massman

Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi with Dr. Jennifer Abbuzahab (left) and Dr. Ann Bendel (right)
and nurses of the Children's clinic of Oncology and Hematology, Minneapolis, MN.
These physicians were honoroed with special recognition because the clinic
has cared for two of the Foundation's most recent patients.

Note:
The event, attended by more than 200 specially invited guests, held on September 12th, 2003 in Minneapolis, recognized and honored the physicians, nurses, donors, and volunteers who have lovingly served the children of Iran under the auspices of the Foundation.  
The Foundation for the Children of Iran serves children from Iran in need of critical medical services that are not available in Iran.  The Foundation has and continues to serve sick and needy children and their families regardless of race, creed, gender, religion, or political affiliation.

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