Birth Announcement

Prof. Noam Chomsky: Join Mossadegh Legacy Institute
Birth Announcement of an AMERICAN Initiative for Healing

By: Moji Agha (Mojtaba Aghamohammadi)

December 14, 2012 

EXCERPT:

The Mossadegh Legacy Institute (MLI) is a new U.S.-based non-profit initiative, aiming to foster integrated healing, endorsed by many outstanding scholars and personalities of our times, including Prof. Noam Chomsky, who has described the MLI as an "American moral responsibility." Besides policy-oriented collaborative scientific projects, the MLI's comprehensive statement of mission and goals (below) includes a global campaign to urge the awarding of a much deserved posthumous Nobel Peace Prize to the Late Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh. The MLI's other proposals include an epic movie about Iran's "Champion of Democracy," a Mossadegh Symphony, a number of Mossadegh Cups, a Mossadegh Street initiative for cities and towns in the U.S., and an international annual award (provisionally) called the Mossadegh Prize for Integrated Leadership.  

We warmly invite you to please examine the MLI's bilingual mission statement carefully, to consider joining, supporting, or "liking" this exciting work, and (just as important) to spread the word of this potentially "historic" new initiative far and wide--please. 

Here is how to reach the MLI: 

WEBSITE: http://www.mossadeghlegacyinstitute.org/ *** FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/MossadeghLegacyInstituteMli *** E-MAIL: mossadegh.legacy.institute@gmail.com



Initial Draft Mission Statement
for the Proposed 
Mossadegh Legacy Institute (MLI) 

December 14, 2012 
(Please see the note below)


THE VISION

When fully established, the hereby dreamed of "Mossadegh Legacy Institute (MLI)" would be a non-profit international institution (donations to which are already tax-deductible; Please see our FUNDING page about the "Mossadegh Chest"), founded and inspired by the proud historic legacy of the Late Iranian Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh (1882–1967), hoping and helping to create a world that nurtures the life-sustaining virtues and values that his legacy exemplifies, namely: Freedom, Independence, Democracy, Peace, Justice, Moderation, Courage, Hope, Love, Non-violence, Tolerance, and Mutuality. 

THE MISSION 

Thus, the mission of the MLI (to which we hope the American people pay "indigenous" attention) would include preserving, enhancing, and more important, extending the cherished legacy and dreams of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, through the careful creation of a collaborative international institution, worthy of his historic (but presently under-appreciated) contributions not just to his beloved Iran, but to the global community. 

THE WORK 

We hope that besides undertaking appropriate integrative Iran-centered as well as global policy-oriented research and application initiatives that embody and practice the above-mentioned values and virtues (and aim to create actual positive change on our small planet), the MLI would eventually build and "house" a library and archive, dedicated specifically to the focus of highlighting (through in-depth interdisciplinary research and collaboration) the global and historical contributions and impacts of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh's life, work, and legacy. 

Prime examples of such MLI initiatives (per above paragraph), would be integrative research and application projects that aim to assist (in particular) countries in the "global South"  achieve genuine globally collaborative dignified self-reliance, namely the sustained liberty (in peaceful co-existence with the world) of their peoples from both "internal despotism" and "external colonialism," the two inter-dependent sides of the coin of suffering, about which "the Elder of Ahmad-Abad" (an inspirational father of the Non-Aligned Movement) warned grandchildrens of history so profoundly.     

Also, as appropriate to his stature (and as possible) we hope to be a part of (and an encouraging partner to) the creation of (at least) a symphony, an opera, a feature epic movie, and a number of international championship sports tournaments (for example in football/soccer, wrestling, and weightlifting) featuring the proud name of Mossadegh, and honoring his legendary legacy and contributions to history.      

THE NAME

Additionally, inspired by the pioneering action of the Northeastern Illinois University, in naming a student hall as "Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh Servant Leaders Hall," the MLI hopes to be an encouraging partner to all public (and private) institutions, especially in the U.S., in fostering inspired "we the people" campaigns toward naming buildings, streets, squares, neighborhoods, highways, locations, and of course days or occasions, after Mossadegh.  

For example, we shall encourage and support Americans, in particular, as they initiate (as appropriate and possible) collaborations with their local city, town, or county councils, toward having a "Mossadegh Street" in their part of the country; in part to help heal, gradually and symbolically, the crack of the "Liberty Bell," which Dr. Mossadegh noted with painful irony, in his historic visit to the "Independence Hall" in Philadelphia, shortly before the 1953 uprooting of Iran's young democracy, the fragile seedling of liberty he had nurtured all his life.  

  

   
Thus, in this case, an obvious question arises: 

Which "we, the people" city (or town) will be the herald of this uniquely historic healing of the "crack of liberty," making her own the moral distinction of having the first "Mossadegh Day" and "Mossadegh Street" in America?  

In the same spirit, this Institute will encourage, guide, and support (as possible and appropriate) the proper initiation and development of democratically spirited interest groups, called "Mossadegh Clubs," in all credible universities, colleges, and high schools around the world, but particularly in America.  

THE PRIZE

Also, in addition to creating a global annual award, called "Mossadegh Prize for Integrated Leadership" (this title is provisional), we hope that also in collaboration with existing institutional and personal efforts to cherish the enduring legacy of "The Elder of Ahmad-Abad," the MLI would become part of a successful international campaign, pursuing the goal of the eventual awarding of (a deeply deserved) posthumous Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh.

We are aware that as of 1974 the Nobel Prize authorities have stopped awarding posthumous prizes. Nonetheless, the ambitious goal of this proposed global campaign would be to convince the Nobel Foundation to make an exception in this case, especially given that we would only be seeking the Nobel Prize recognition that Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh has been denied; and that such a SPECIAL HISTORICAL EXCEPTION need not include any monetary considerations.              

THE OPENING 

The 60th anniversary of "The Coup" falls (according to the official Iranian calendar) on the 28th day of the month of Mordad of the solar year 1392, which begins at 3:30 PM, Sunday, August 18, 2013 -- given the time zone difference between Iran and the Eastern U.S. 

Thus (per above, in "The Name" section of this document) for the formal opening ceremonies of the Mossadegh Legacy Institute (MLI), we plan to hold a special ceremony on that solemn 60th anniversary day, across the street from the Independence Hall / Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. 

We have already contacted the relevant officials (for the needed applications, permits, procedures, etc.) as the first step toward holding such a "historic" event.         

THE REQUEST 

Especially in light of the above-mentioned heavy responsibilities, this exploratory initial statement of mission and goals is obviously an incomplete original draft. Thus, we hereby invite with genuine open arms, the ideas and suggestions, feedback and collaboration, of all concerned persons and institutions, but especially of those who have already made valuable contributions (through self-less sacrifice) to this overall mission, and hence understand (in practice, not words) the significance of this historic task, the first steps of which we, TOGETHER, are beginning to take. 

Please contribute to this historic process; join and contact this effort.

THANK YOU!

Exploratory Committee to Found the Mossadegh Legacy Institute (ECFMLI)

Initial Endorsers: 
Noam Chomsky, Richard Falk, Cindy Sheehan, Stephen Kinzer, William Beeman, Ervand Abrahamian, Kristin Lems, Hamid Akbari, Nader Hashemi, Mohammad Borghei

Initiator/Coordinator: Moji Agha (Mojtaba Aghamohammadi); Co-Initiator / Legal Advisor: Bruce Bridegroom 

*****

NOTE: The original text of this exploratory Statement of Mission was drafted (and proposed, herein) by Mojtaba Aghamohammadi, a.k.a. Moji Agha, on November 14, 2012, the 61st anniversary of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh's speech at the National Press Club, during his historic trip to the U.S. The more "complete" draft you see above (along with its Persian translation in the "bayanieh ahdaaf" page of this website) was suggested by the author within the past month.