London - June 21, 1996
What shall I say after music and singing and music after music, language is very efficient, because music is universal language. We c an all understand music and that's why in the revolution we sing , we dance, whether we speak Arabic or Persian or English or French or any language we can understand music. So it is very very difficult for me to speak in such and musical day and I will be very very short and I will say that in the revolutions, in the resistance, we need artists, we need music, we need creative people, and that is why artists go to jail, they are killed, they suffer a lot.
There is no separation between art and pol itics, there is no separation between art and war, there is no separation between music and fighting in the battle against... (Applause) There is no separation between music and fighting in the battle against injustices against oppression and against host ility in the name of God, or nation or anything. and I am really happy and I am impressed by such a big number coming here together in spite of differences in colour, in gender, in classes, we are here to celebrate the Iranian resistance to say (Applaus e) the Iranian resistance is our resistance, in Egypt, in Palestine, in Algeria, in Sudan, every where.
The Iranian resistance is our resistance, because we are fighting the same enemy. (Applause) And we have to unite, we have to work together, men and women. Women the oppressed, specially the poor women, poor women are the first to die in war, poor women are the first to be dismissed when there economic crisis. We are always defeated whenever there is war for peace, or anything, for us to come her e as women and as men it is a big message to give a voice for those women, who are silenced, who were silenced in history, for thousands of years, now they come here and say, here we are, we have a cause, and we are going to fight together (Applause).
Some people may think that the oppression of women is related to a certain religion, to Islam or to Arab world or to certain area. But the oppression of women is universal, It is a universal phenomenon (Applause).
We are all in the same boat and tha t is why solidarity between women is very important. We are fighting against oppression whether political or economic or social or sexual. And it is not. Some people here they think well, women are oppressed in Islam, this is not true at all. Women are n ot oppressed in Islam. Women are not oppressed in any religion. Religions are used by political groups to oppress women. (Applause)
Religion and art and music and literature and science can be abused. They can abuse science, they can abuse religion, t hey can abuse even music. They can abuse literature to be against humanity, against women, against justice, but we shall do? We must use music, religion and science and literature for liberation for justice for freedom and love. (Applause)
Thank you very much.
Just one word before I leave. I would like also to celebrate my sister and my friend, Maryam Rajavi. (Applause)
She is a great hope for all of us, she is a great hope. she is the symbol of a Muslim revolutionary woman who is lead ing her nation (Applause) Leading her nation , men and women to liberation.
Back Home