Mr Mo-tivator

Whilst I’m back home for a few days I’ve had the opportunity to catch up with some colleagues, including Mo, who I’ve featured in this journal before. We’ve known and worked with each other for decades now in various jobs, and I love him to bits.

Mo left his native Iran when he was 17 but he maintains a keen interest in the ongoing political situation over there. The recent spate of murders of young women, who refuse to wear headscarves in public, and of their male supporters - following the death of Mahsa Amini - has, understandably, upset and angered him greatly.

Mo has been a long-term ally to all refugee communities and to people seeking asylum, as well as to the LGBTQIA+ community. The two communities often overlap of course.

He’s due to leave his job with us in about a month and to finally become a gentleman of leisure, which he thoroughly deserves; although I suspect he will continue to lend his voice to the causes he holds so dear.

When discussing the current situation in Iran, Mo mentioned to me the song ‘Baraye’ which he says can bring him to tears.

The singer and composer, Shirvin Hajipour, was arrested following the circulation of this song, and is, to the best of my knowledge, currently on bail awaiting trial.

This video includes an English translation of his words https://youtu.be/0th9_v-BbUI

Today, I also got to meet my newest colleague, Alice, who I hope to introduce you to properly soon. We’ve spoken many times online over the last few months so it was lovely to get to meet her in person at last. You can see more pictures of her and of Mo in the Extras.