I have spent my entire life reflecting on the fate of my beloved Middle East, a region seemingly trapped in endless turmoil.
Since I was 12, sitting beside my grandfather in southwest Iran, watching the news, I have been consumed by the wars and conflicts that plague the region. I dreamed of becoming a journalist, reporting from the frontlines in Palestine, advocating for justice. Other times, I imagined being a politician, determined to bring an end to the suffering.
I became neither, but my passion for the Middle East remains as strong as ever. I still dream of seeing it at peace, thriving in prosperity.
The recent war in Gaza and the escalating conflict in Lebanon have reignited a deep sense of urgency within me. Witnessing the region drown in an ocean of destruction and despair has left me impatient, unable to remain silent.
The devastation of the most ancient cities and historical landmarks in Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Afghanistan breaks my heart.
These places, once centres of civilisation, are now overshadowed by radical and barbaric ideologies such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Wahhabism, Isis, the Taliban and the Islamic Republic.
I have been reading and reflecting on how the face of the Middle East changed so drastically in 1970s and 1980s.
It was during this time that extremist Islamist movements took root, spreading from Egypt to Iran and Afghanistan, derailing the region’s path from progress towards the darkness we see today.
To escape the current misery, I believe we must retrace our steps and return to the point where we veered off course in our pursuit of a modern, progressive Middle East. It was at that moment we lost our way and began regressing. The efforts of intellectuals and visionary leaders to spark a renaissance in the region began during the late 18th and 19th centuries were not only halted but reversed by the rise of fundamentalism in the 1970s, which gained power and popularity, dragging us backward.
I am not suggesting that the Middle East was a paradise before 1980. The region faced many challenges, from inequality and political repression to poverty and uneven development across its countries. Dictators and authoritarian figures ruled over much of the land.
However, despite these difficulties, we were on a trajectory towards a progressive, modern society. The pace may have been slow and lagging behind other parts of the world, but the direction was clear.
Yet, my vision for the Middle East is not to return to what it was 50 years ago, no matter how promising the situation seemed before 1975.
Instead, I dream of a Middle East that remembers its ancient glory, where its people strive to make it great once again.
The cradle of civilisation, where over 5000 years ago our ancestors flourished around the Euphrates and Tigris in Mesopotamia, the Nile in Egypt and the Persian Plateau in the area known as the Fertile Crescent.
This region gave humanity its first wheel and the first writing systems by the Sumerians and Egyptians, the first legal code with Hammurabi’s laws, the first declaration of human rights with Cyrus’ Cylinder and the first cities such as Jericho in West Bank Palestine, Catalhoyuk in Turkey, Uruk, Ur and Eridu in Iraq, Memphis in Egypt and Susa in Iran.
This rich history should not be forgotten or merely boasted about; it should be remembered as a source of inspiration and a reminder to believe in ourselves. By reflecting on the past, we can lighten up our path towards the future. To realise this vision, we must go beyond religion and beyond race.
There are two key reasons for this: first, true solidarity and recognition of our shared humanity are essential to achieving a common goal for the region. Second, divisions based on religion and race have historically been the main sources of conflict and suffering.
Even during the ancient glories I mentioned above, countless wars were fought, and blood was shed by power-hungry rulers, often fuelled by religious and racial differences.
The Middle East needs a new generation of intellectuals and leaders who are willing to rise above religious zealotry and racial prejudices, driven instead by a spirit of human unity and love.
We, the people of the Middle East, have endured the depths of religious darkness, and our escape from this darkness cannot be achieved through further religious or racial attachments.
This cause requires individuals whose hearts beat for the entire Middle East, from Iran and Iraq to Egypt, and from Turkey and Syria to Israel and Palestine. The region can only be liberated from its doomed fate when we embrace Persians, Arabs, Jews and Turks alike. When we recognise Islam, Christianity and Judaism as religions that, while holding deep cultural significance, have also contributed to the immense suffering of the people in this land.
The path to meaningful change runs through the grassroots of our societies, not through politicians and rulers of our countries. The day we, as a people, prioritise humanity and kindness over religious and ethnic attachments, we will be able to change both the face and fate of our region.
I am reaching out to all those who desire peace and prosperity for the Middle East and are willing to transcend the barriers of religion and race to join this collective effort.
While I initially hesitated to use the slogans "Make the Middle East Great Again" and "Get the Middle East Back on Track", given their associations with some political movements in the US and Aotearoa New Zealand, I have come to see them as effective in illustrating the path forward for this cause.
I also view this as a sign of moving beyond political partisanism to focus on the shared vision we can all aspire to.
●Dr Forough Amin is the founder of Iranian Women in New Zealand.
