FLIGHT 752 SYMPATHIES
‘We hope that our messages reach the family and friends of the victims just as a human message,’ Soroush Zorryasatein says of the books of condolences Iranian-Canadians in Ottawa will send to embassies of countries that had Flight 752 victims.
A group of Iranian-Canadians in Ottawa have made books of condolences to deliver to the embassies of every country that had victims on downed Flight 752.
The Ukrainian International Airlines flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran on Jan. 8.
Iran has since taken responsibility for downing the flight, killing all 176 people on board the aircraft, amid growing tensions and military action in the region.
“We as a community of Iranians in Ottawa, who have felt the heartwarming sympathy and support of Canadians, wanted to send our condolences to family and friends of victims in those countries who are thousands of kilometres away,” Soroush Zorryasatein said. “This tragedy has affected many people in the global community in addition to Iran and Canada.”
Those countries include Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
“We hope that our messages reach the family and friends of the victims just as a human message. That we think of them, as well.”
The books contain a written message to each country that “when such a tragedy occurs, it befalls all of humanity across all nations and beyond borders.”
The books also include the words of an Iranian poet who writes in Persian that: “Adam’s children are limbs of one body, that in creation are made of one gem. When life and time hurt a limb, other limbs will not be at ease.”