The Bude & District U3A held their Open Meeting on Thursday 21st February at the Parkhouse Center. Hillary Workman, Speaker Secretary, Chaired the meeting.
After welcoming our Speaker, members and guests, Hillary announced that the Committee finally had a Chairman. After much thought Sylvia Henry had accepted the position as Chairman. Her duties as the Groups Coordinator are in the capable hands of Elizabeth Whattler.
Hillary introduced our Guest Speaker, Mr. Michael Axworthy, Author of Empire of the Mind, A History of Iran.
Mr.Axworthy, who held the position of the Head of Iran Section in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, left the service in the year 2000. As a teenager his parents had been posted to Iran for three years and he spent his holidays there absorbing the culture and history of that beautiful country. He is currently a Lecturer in Arabic & Islamist Studies at the University of Exeter and has made frequent visits over the years to Iran.
Mr. Axworthy bravely took us through Iran's History from the earliest times up to the present day highlighting the uniqueness of the Iranian identity as one of the oldest continuing civilisations in the world. The cultural and intellectual movements in Iran's history demonstrate how Iran has had an influence in the Middle East and Asia beyond her borders through the power of Persianate culture rather than through conventional political and military means. Mr. Axworthy took us through the nineteenth century history from the rivalry between Russia and Great Britain for influence in Iran, the first Revolution in 1905 which resulted in 1911 when Iran came out with a Constitution and their first Parliament; the accession of the Pahlavis Dynasty which we all know was overthrown in 1979 paving the way for an Islamic Government under one religious leader.
When asked what will be the future for Iran, Mr. Axworthy who had made a recent visit felt not completely pessimistic, he would try to be positive but, was concerned by the Brain Drain of the young well-educated people leaving and taking their knowledge and skills with them.
Hillary thanked Mr. Axworthy for a most broad and interesting presentation.
The meeting was declared closed and all adjourned for tea and biscuits.
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