Community leader and role
model Akram Monfared Arya
 As an extraordinary
woman, who is a mother, a pilot, a writer and a community
leader,
Akram Monfared Arya is a true role model for every Iranian.
Born in Tehran in 1946, Ms. Arya has come a long way with
her five children and all that she is proud to speak about
from her home town in Stockholm, Sweden. We had a chance
to ask her a few questions.
PersianMirror: Tell
us a little about your childhood.
Akram
Monfared Arya: I grew up in Tehran. I got married
and while raising my kids, I went to school to continue
my education. I also worked for many years while I was
doing all the other things. I currently live in Sweden.
It is a great place and I came here out of the desire
to live in democratic society where everyone
is treated with respect and dignity.
"I
found that there was less resistance and more acceptance
with regard to women's rights and freedom" -
Arya
PM: What
made you want to become a pilot and what can you tell
us about what it was like to be a woman in the Shah's
time?
AMA: I
was passionate about flying and becoming a pilot.
Believing that men and women are equal, I went on to pursue
my dream along
with many other women of my time. As a woman, I found that
there was less resistance and more acceptance with regard
to women´s rights and freedom.
PM: Your
are also a poet, a writer and now a politician- tell us about
that?
AMA: Writting,
whether in the form of story, novel or poem, is the best
means of self- expression. I always enjoyed to share my
thoughts with Persian, Swedish and English speaking world
through publishing my work. As far as the my work now goes,
a resident of this country, I wanted to contribute to the
well being of my community as well to help the more than
70,000 Iranians who live here. They have a lot of concerns
that need to be addressed and represented.
PM: What
qualities do you admire in people? Which do you despise?
AMA: I
admire honesty and openness. I am sadden by hatred and
jealousy.
PM:
Desert Island. Three things. What will you take?
AMA: My
passion, my thoughts and my memories.
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