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May 27, 2011

Peter Herndorf, CEO and President

The National Art Center

Ottawa, Canada

infor@nac-cna.ca

            613-947-7000      

Dear Mr. Herndorf,

1.We, the undersigned, express grave concern about your involvement and participation in the Islamic government in Iran's upcoming Cultural Event scheduled for June 4^th, 2011. Our concerns are based on thirty-two years of Islamic government’s deliberate attempts at neglecting and destruction of Iran's past and cultural heritage.

2.According to the World Encyclopedia, cultural genocide is a term used to describe the deliberate destruction of the cultural heritage of a people or nation for political or military purposes. Since coming to power, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been in a constant battle with the Iranian people as well as her culture and heritage. To promote the Islamic ideology and obliterate the Iranian identity, the Islamic government of Iran has been deliberately hard at work implementing policies that deemphasize Iranian nationalism and rewrite Iran's past in official documents, history and textbooks. It routinely renames many Iranian-named streets and incorporate many Arabic words and phrases into the Persian language.

3.Iranians remember all too well the interview conducted by the later Peter Jennings inside the plane returning Khomeini to Iran.  When Khomeini was asked how he felt returning to Iran after many years in exile, he shamefully replied: Nothing! Indeed Khomeini had other ideas in mind for Iran. From the early days of the hijacked revolution of 1979, one of the key objectives of the regime has been the promotion of a Shiita-based Islamic nation in the region. Ayatollah Khomeini, ever since he put foot on the Iranian soil openly expressed such notions in his various speeches during the early days of the revolution and suppressed any thought on Iran as a nation, with a glorious past and civilization.  Indeed, one of the primary objectives of Khomeini was to advance his Shiite-centered Islamic ideology all the way to the holy sites in the heart of Israel, thus destroying Israel!

4.The Islamic government has unsuccessfully tried numerous times to cleanse the pre-Islamic Persian heritage. It tried to declare war against the Persian New Year or “Nowruz”, and then, it attacked many other Persian traditions and customs. In 1979, Khomeini's right-hand man, the Ayatollah Sadegh Khalkhali, tried to bulldoze Iran’s greatest epical poet Ferdowsi's tomb and Persepolis palace. The total destruction of the relics of the palace was averted by Iranian patriots who literally stood in front of the bulldozers and did not allow the destruction of this heritage of humanity from taking place. 

  5. Mr. Herndorf, the Islamic government's overtures and respect for Iran’s cultural heritage is just a ruse, a dog and pony show, aimed at taking the focus away from regime’s blatant human rights violations. The regime also aims to use such events to convince the Western countries to ease up on sanctions so that it can legally procure the equipment and tools it needs to finalize its nuclear weapons' program.   

 6. The National Art Center’s participation at this event will inadvertently assist the Islamic republic’s reach its objectives. Islamic government's disingenuous and deceptive practices at hiding its true intentions are well known among the Iranian community. Such events are not publicly advertized for the most part and only a select few Iranians at the service of the Islamic republic are invited to attend.  We respectfully ask the you cancel this shameful and sham event. 

Sincerely,

Arash Irandoost, Founder

Pro-Democracy Movement of Iran

Cc: Rosemary Thompson, Director of Communications and Public Affairs

The undersigned