Makwan. A letter from Paradise

“Makwan: a letter from Paradise” is a video-poem by Roberto Malini and Dario Picciau dedicated to 21-year-old Makwan Moloudzadeh

who was hung in prison last December while the international campaign to save his life was collecting signatures and gaining momentum all over the world.

Makwan died an innocent boy. He has become a symbol, both in Iran and throughout the world, for all those who are committed to fighting the inhuman logic of the death penalty.

Thousands of activists all over the world had made a desperate appeal to the authorities and sent them white and red flowers in an attempt to stop the executioner taking his young life. At his funeral a large crowd of townspeople accompanied Makwan’s mortal remains, and prayed that his sacrifice would serve to save other human lives by inviting those in power and the judges to realise the horror of the death penalty. This video-poem was made with the support of the Moloudzadeh family, and Makwan’s Uncle Mahmoud who lives in Germany.

Two great actors have given their important contribution to the work, lending their voices to this message to humanity: Emiliano Coltorti in the Italian version; Norman Nawroski in the English version. “Makwan: a Letter from Paradise” opposes the death sentence and its terrible significance (which embodies hatred and revenge) with a respect for life; because murder constitutes, without exception, the greatest possible violation of human rights.

Hearts for Makwan

The Iranian executioners have killed Makwan.

Makwan lives on in us.

Emails, postcards and letters from all over the world and from people of all ages are reached Teheran authorities pleading for clemency for Makwan. But the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Head of the Judiciary and the other authorities have totally ignored all our requests, all our entreaties and carried out the most ruthless cruelty in the name of a bloodthirsty God, who is certainly not the God of love that true Muslims worship, but a product of hatred, discrimination and prejudice.

But the Hearts Campaign does not end here. Hundreds of people have taken up pens, crayons and computers, drawn lots of hearts and sent them off with messages such as: “We love Makwan”, “Makwan is innocent”, “Pardon Makwan”.

Instead the executioners broke Makwan’s body and took his breath away for ever. But Makwan is now a symbol and symbols cannot die. Makwan’s name will now echo throughout the corners of the world calling out for justice; his symbol will be more powerful than hatred, much greater than death.

We wish to create a gallery in the young martyr’s memory. We ask you all to send in drawings of hearts dedicated to Makwan’s memory. We will gather them together and they will become the symbol of a way of loving which at the present is bound in chains, but which one day - thanks also to the sacrifice of people like Makwan - will be free and finally be able to “say its name” openly and publicly.

Send drawings, pictures, digital arts of hearts dedicated to Makwan’s memory at info@everyonegroup.com

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Makwan. A letter from Paradise

The newspapers have described her the “little Anne Frank of the Roma people”. The Covacius abandoned Arad in Romania to flee from poverty and discrimination. But in Italy they have been subjected to the devastating effects...