On March 13, NIDA Civic Movement organized a book presentation by the American writer of Iranian origin, Sahar Delijani. The book was translated by the jailed investigative reporter and activist Khadija Ismayilova. Ismayilova translated the book in prison.
The book titled “Children of the Jacaranda Tree” tells the story of a woman born in prison into a family of political activists. The author was born in 1983 in Tehran’s Evin prison, where her mother was imprisoned by the mullahs’ regime on politically motivated charges. Her father was also jailed for political reasons.
Editor Elnur Astanbayli read a letter that Ismayilova wrote about this presentation:
Dear friends, Thank you for appreciating my choice and showing so much interest in the book.
The reason I chose this book was that it shows how human tragedies are passed down from generation to generation in societies deprived of liberties.
Most importantly, there are certain struggles that should not be passed down to next generations! One day, the children of both sides might get caught in the grip of the same struggles. Unlike home imprisonment, here I am deprived of contact with other political prisoners. Most of the people in this prison do not share my values and have never fought for those causes. It is difficult for them to understand me. However, one thing unites all of us – the criminal, the thief, the journalist, the literate and the illiterate, those who respect others’ values and those who don’t – we all live in a country where there is no justice. The challenging part is not to lose faith in people and the future. I wish you all to never lose love and humanity. The future belongs to those who do not lose love.
