Women of the Middle East Peace Legacy Honoured at a Gala Tribute for Farah Pahlavi, Jehan Sadat and Lea Rabin Washington D.C. May 7, 2000

Women of the Middle East Peace Legacy
Honoured at a Gala Tribute for Farah Pahlavi, Jehan Sadat and Lea Rabin
Washington D.C. May 7, 2000

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am honoured by your recognition, and very proud to be able to represent my late husband, Mohammadd Reza Shah Pahlavi.

I am also pleased to be standing next to two very distinguished ladies who have just as much pride to share their late husband' s visions, dreams and acconplishrnents as I do. These great men all lived in the Middle East, in an era of great tension and danger of strife; yet held to the last moment of their lives their passionate commitments to work for a just peace in this troubled region. In paying tribute to their lasting memory, it is important to recall and remember the courage with which they pursued the cause of peace.

I pray that the tree of peace planted by these men, nurtured by their wisdom, perseverance and unswerving dedication, sink its roots ever more deeply and grow stronger each day.

I was privileged to live during the reign of a king who was not only a true patriot but also a man gifted with a wise geopolitical perception of our world; a man corrrnitted to world peace, who deeply valued the necessity for harmony and mutual respect between various cultures, societies and nations. He sought stability, development, progress, amid prosperity for his compatriots. He laboured for tolerance and equal opportunity for all ethnic and religious groups in our country. In his visions of Iran's future, he planted seeds with dedication and devotion, seeds which are to grow into new flowers, when the warm sun of a new spring will shine once again in our homeland.

As one of one of the cradles of civilization, Iran has in its glorious past suffered many invasions as well as upheavals. But has always revived itself on the basis of deeply rooted national identity, historical and cultural values, at the heart of which lies a universal vision embracing unity in diversity. This perception has never been extinguished and continues to live in our compatriots' hearts and minds.

I extend my thanks to the organizers of this event and to the organisers of the American Friends of Tel Aviv University. I applaud their dedication, and wish then great success in the pursuit of their goals.

I know I only have two minutes but I wish to take this opportunity to add that President Sadat extended the hand of brotherly friendship to my husband, my children and rmyself in a very difficult period in our lives. Dear Jehan, my family and I as well as many of ny compatriots will remain forever thankful to President Sadat, yourself and the noble Egyptian people for their unforgettable hospitality.

Thank you very much.

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