Ed Hale Photo Gallery From Civilian Diplomacy Trip To Iran
In 2009 Ed Hale attended a two week Civilian Diplomacy Trip to the country of Iran with the world’s oldest non-profit peace and diplomacy organization, the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Hale was among 11 Americans chosen for the trip, along with journalist Robert Dreyfus and author Larry Beinhart and several members of American prominent nuclear watchdog NGOs as well as other peace activists. They met with various members of different departments of the Iranian government including presidents Ahmadinejad and Khatami, Iranian Peace activists, members of the Islamic Republic clergy, Imams and Ayatollahs, leaders of Christian Churches and Jewish Synagogues there. They also had time to connect with a lot of the Iranian people all over the country, who were extremely happy and excited to meet Americans. Hale has been writing about the experience extensively in his Transcendence Diaries (run a search for “Iran”) and speaking about the trip to various groups over the years. CLICK TO READ MORE
My first memory of Iran as a young American…
The Globe Iranian style
My first application to visit Iran on an Art Visa — denied
My Visa application letter to study persian music — denied
My Civilian Diplomacy Visa — accepted!
Loving the Iranian people
The Group
Iranian children
Breakfast alignment meeting
A shocking mural if you’re American….
The classic Zoarastrian symbol used by the Babylonians Akkadians and Egyptians
The Holy Koran
Holy Koran
Reading the Holy Koran
Interacting in the Holy Library in Q’om
Constant dialogue kept us sane and stable
We basically lived on this bus…
Ed Hale with Robert Dreyfus
Mosques are obviously everywhere
Attmepting to connect with God in the mosque
Iranians LOVE music.
The old abandoned American Embassy….
Speaking up for women’s rights with the minister of culture
An international IAEA Nuclear Energy Conference
Persepolis
The ancient persian kings have HUGE graves. Like HUGE!
Surrounded by love
Really trying to understand
Using diplomacy with the minister of culture….
Two cultures connecting
In one, she’s checking me out, in another I’m checking her out… As we begin to understand we are all the same
National and religious pride runs deep in the Iranian Jewish population….
Trying not to get angry about women not being allowed to sing…
Dialogue with the people was imperative
An Iranian Jew who thought my question about leaving Iran was ridiculous. “I’m Jewish but I’m Iranian. Why would I leave?”
New friends
Meeting president Khatami, a beautiful soul
President Khatami
Isfahan is one of the most beautiful cities in the world
a little corner dedicated to the Ayatollah. Couldn’t resist
The boys
Making friends
The group
Got invited to study at the Hadith Center in Q’om. Wrote it down to be respectful.
Meeting with President Khatami
Loving the bazaars
The nightlife of Tehran
Came home between 1 and 4 am everynight but still managed to blog till morning….
every day was 2 to 3 meetings….
Bazaars were my favorite
Playing the piano at request in someone’s home
Some meetings upset you more than others… But diplomacy always won out
Loving the Ayatollahs. Most have great energy
Posing with friend Nazli
With famed filmmker Khosro Sinai
A new friend
Made really good friends with this government official, still friends with him
This guy was a sweetheart. Used to be called “the scary Ayatollah”, but I didn’t feel it….
Nuclear Energy talks with delegates from Bahrain, Iraq, Pakistan, and Iran
Ed Hale as the General at a war protest
Shock and awe by how many of us turned out to protest the American invasion of the Middle East
Meeting Imams was a daily occurence
talking to Iranian girls was only allowed in front of their family. True.
Ed Hale War Protest Performance art exhibit
Nightly review and alignment meetings….
Meeting one of my musical heroes Alizadeh
Ed Hale, Alizadeh, Nazli
Alizadeh, an intense persian classical musician
An Iranian candy bar!
Abandoned American Embassy
Peering up at the sky through the dome of a mosque
Great content! Keep up the good work!