News from AILA Victoria Chapter 3 November 2022
Dear Members
I wrote some general landscape design-related news to you, then deleted it and started all over, as what is more important, and design related than Country?
I am from IRAN, the stolen land. We are taking it back after 43 years of darkness with the “Women Life Freedom” movement. I am so proud that Gender Equity is a core value at AILA as it is so important for a harmonious and forward thinking society. The movement in Iran is led by brave and amazing girls and women, and is supported by all people around the world. If you would like to show you support please open and share Parlour’s Instagram page, where my friend Targol Khorram has been sharing the story of this movement through the lens of architecture, art, and activism. Being a voice for the people in Iran, risking everything, making history with limited or no access to the Internet and social media platforms.
No words can describe how I felt coming back from Iran last month then attending the AILA Festival 2022 - the Country, led by all First Nations people. AILA is humbled and honoured to be trusted, allowed and welcomed by Indigenous people to lean into this shared journey and their movement toward a brighter future for our Country. The Festival gave me an opportunity to process my pain whilst processing their pain, the pain of this Country and the First Nations people. I had an incredibly unique experience listening to the honest and heartfelt stories and travelled in time with them to the past to learn from their experience and to the future to understand that it will not be bright without guidance and the leadership of the custodians of the land.
This festival connected us through stories to each other and to Country. I found many similarities in our frustrations of both lands been stolen by a powerful regime controlling nature and women. I have been inspired from hearing the stories of so many strong and resilient Indigenous women. We are not free until we are all free!
From a place of heartbreak and disillusion, let’s choose to be hopeful and optimistic. The festival made it very clear that as Landscape Architects we will unite and work closer with First Nations people to build a better future together by improving; alignment of our values, transparency, collaboration, and passion.
Azin Emampour, AILA Vic Executive