What a beauty. Last night, Plaza Nazarenas.

Dear friends,

I'm pleased and honored to share that United for Iran is successfully concluding the first round of IranCubator, our app incubation project to promote civil liberties in Iran.

In the last 18 months, we developed about one dozen mobile applications — some of which were released without any public connection to U4I to reduce potential security risk. To date, IranCubator apps have been downloaded over 550,000 times; and users in Iran have spent more than 111,000 hours learning, connecting and receiving support from these apps.

Our apps offer solutions on a range of issues including challenges to women's rights, women's sexual and reproductive health and informed political participation. They also offer support and protection for victims of domestic abuse, recovering addicts, human right defenders, and children at risk of sexual abuse.

While we have been humbled to see the sheer number of individuals these apps have served, the personal story of users have constantly reminded us why we began this effort in the first place:

· We received many letters from parents who had experienced sexual abuse when they were children and decided to share the Michka app with their children to better protect them.

· We received testimonies from people who were anxious they might have contracted an STD but feared to see a doctor. They were grateful for the Hamdam app for offering clear, and unbiased information about symptoms, risks, and prevention methods.

· We were contacted by recovering addicts, some of which had struggled with sobriety for many years, sharing how the Haami app had helped them stay sober and made them feel cared for.

· A domestic violence survivor wrote us a detailed and heartfelt account of her abusive marriage and the strength she had to gather to get a divorce when the law was not on her side. She shared how she now tells everyone about the Toranj app in case they can benefit from it as well.

We feel privileged to have joined the global movement to expand human rights through technological advances, and these testimonies further prove how necessary that intersection is. We are convinced that the marriage of technology and human rights will take us to the future we want.

We will make share to keep you in the loop on the future progress of these apps, and our other efforts to improve human rights and expand freedoms in Iran.

In solidarity,

Firuzeh Mahmoudi
Executive Director 
United for Iran

P.S. These are apps that we publicly released through IranCubator:

RadiTo targets Iran's repressive internet restrictions in order to boost freedom of expression. The app serves users in 5 different languages including, Kurdish, Balouchi, Azari, Persian, and English.

Hamdam enables Iranian women to track their menstrual cycles through the Persian Jalali calendar while learning about women's legal rights and sexual health.

Toranj protects Iranian women from domestic abuse and offers domestic violence survivors the tools to ask and receive immediate help.

Haami supports Iranians struggling with addiction recovery and offers them resources to maintain their sobriety.

Michka helps Iranian parents better protect their children from sexual abuse.

Hafez aids and protects human rights defenders by enabling them to securely record and report incidents of human rights violations.

Sandogh96 provided Iranian voters with accurate, unbiased and up-to-date candidate and election information ahead of the May 2017 elections.

Detatched from all the world's bullshit: Inca wall last night

Galgale: Iranians turn route to Turkey. They are flocking. US sanctions decision, the person will be headed to vacation in Turkey, Iranians spend 1000 euros. US nuclear deal to withdraw the decision to impose sanctions is expected that the flow of tourists from Iran to Turkey. Iran hosted 2.5 million tourists in 2017, the direction of the Iranian tourists who are unable to go because of US sanctions on the EU market and thinks to Turkey.

According to the evening news Turkey Hoteliers Association (TÜROB) President Timur Bayindir, 42 thousand more than those who spend 35-40 percent could do with Western tourists he said Iranian tourists came to Turkey for a holiday in the coming period. Flourishing, “because of the US sanctions Iranian tourists we first choice because we are close neighbors think it will be Turkey. The Iranian government does not allow its citizens to go to the EU or the US very much. Therefore already coming to Turkey before those who will go to those countries. He’s transferring from here. Now they can come to us directly, “he said. In the first three months of the year in the ranking of countries sending the most visitors to Turkey with 738 thousand people he took first place in Iran. Iranian tourists especially prefer to come to Istanbul, Van and Antalya for shopping, business and holiday. Turkey between Iran and the credit card of tourism activity is expected to increase with the agreement between Turkey and Iran >>>

Modern rug based on ancient Peruvian design. Arte Antropologia stiore in Cusco today.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for a decadeslong stadium ban for women to be lifted, according to statement issued by the president’s office Tuesday.

“There should be no difference between men and women in Islam and for that reason women should also be allowed to take part in sports events,” Rouhani said at a meeting with Iranian athletes at his office, according to the statement.

Women have been banned from stadiums in Iran for 39 years. The ban was imposed by the religious leadership after the 1979 revolution.

Iran’s influential clerics believe women have no place in football stadiums where men are over-excited and vulgar slogans are shouted.

Rouhani rejected these claims, saying women should not be punished for men being vulgar at sporting events.

Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar has suggested that special sections for women or for families in Iran’s arenas could help end the stadium ban.

The clergy has rejected these suggestions.

Protests against the ban have grown in recent months, most noticeably around a World Cup qualifier in September against Syria when Syrian women were allowed to attend the game in Tehran but Iranian women were not — a move Iran’s parliament named “regrettable and annoying discrimination.”

Valentino's state of mind.

Women's Soccer United Coach of the Year Award Candidate - Katayoun Khosrowyar

Katayoun Khosrowyar grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As an Iranian-American she has been able to bring her own “revolution” to Iran. It’s a beautiful story that has allowed her to shape the national landscape of Iranian women’s football.

Post- Iran’s revolution, Iran’s first women’s national team discovered Kat. This started her journey to empower Iranian women in football.

In 2014, she was the first Iranian woman to have earned a FIFA/AFC “A” license. At such a young age, she has been able to inspire many girls to pursue their dream of playing football. Despite, all the political climaxes within Iran and outside the country. It isn’t easy for these girls to wear hijabs and be ridiculed for it, but she has allowed them to dream and push through all these political barriers.

In a country such as Iran with all the political interferences. Kat has opened up many doors for future generation of girls through her tenacity and persistent. Few of her girls have received offers from Europe.

In addition, Kat not only manages the U-19 side of Iran’s women’s national team, but advises the U-16/U-14 side as well. She is doing the job of three or more people simply because she believes she can create a pathway for a better future for these girls.

Furthermore, she has build communications and bridges with other nations to empower more women in various other countries. This lady single-handedly has been able to build a better relationship with the United States through football. This by itself is great for diplomacy.

Lastly, a country that still does not allow women to enter stadiums.It is outstanding how she has been able to cope with the politics and still believe she can make an impact on Iranian women.

The work Kat is doing is described as absolutely sensational and it is believed that many other coaches across the globe would not be able to handle the issues she has fought to face and that in itself shows the true character of this amazing individual.

Thank you to Pasha Hajian for the nomination.

 

Vote for her here:

http://www.womenssoccerunited.com/wsu-coach-award-2018-finalists/

A hotel on Calle Santa Anna yesterday.