BIC GENEVA — The Bahá’í International Community (BIC) has launched a new website and Instagram page as a hub for collecting diverse contributions to the “Our Story Is One” campaign, which marks 40 years since 10 Bahá’í women were hanged in Shiraz, Iran, and honors the broader struggle for gender equality in that country.

The campaign, commemorating these women who chose their faith and principles of oneness, equality, and justice over life itself, has seen an outpouring of support, including songs, paintings, poems, graphic art, craft work, and written tributes from public figures.

“We are deeply moved by the level of support already seen for the campaign,” says Simin Fahandej, BIC Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

She adds: “The support shows that the unified call to view the struggle of Iranian women for gender equality as part of the same story that resonates with all. We are all deeply interconnected, our story is linked, and we are walking the same path towards the shared value of gender equality, which has become one of the most prominent causes in Iran today. The story of the 10 Bahá’í women was a chapter in the unfolding story of Iranian women’s resilience and sacrifice for equality.

Today, in the blood, tears, and wounds of thousands of young women in Iran seeking equality, we can see echoes of the injustice suffered by the 10 women of Shiraz whose tragic death touched the lives of many.”

Historical records and documents about these women have been made available in a dedicated section of the Archives of Bahá’í Persecution in Iran website, including letters to their families from prison, personal photos, prison documents, and other archival materials.

In a call for further artistic contributions, Ms. Fahandej invited all to join the year-long campaign. The BIC is accepting contributions at ourstoryisone@bic.org and through the hashtag #OurStoryIsOne.

Upcoming events are planned globally that will bring together United Nations and government officials, civil society organizations, leading human rights advocates, and media organizations and practitioners.

Further background on the circumstances surrounding the execution of the 10 women as well as brief bios on each of these women can be found in this BIC article.