Townsville Bulletin: MOST of Farvardin Daliri’s early memories are shrouded in trauma.

Being from a religious minority in Iran, as a young boy he experienced “the true face of human rights abuse and discrimination.”

Farvardin, who is of the Baha’i Faith, has lived in Townsville for the past 28 years but his journey here was no mean feat.

Born in a small town in central Persia called Abadeh, Farvardin grew up in the suburbs of Tehran where he completed his year 12 studies.

“Eventually I left my homeland at the age of 19 after suffering imprisonment and torture in Tehran because of my religious believes,” he said.

Farvardin fled Iran for India where he spent the next 10 years of his life, completing his studies in Fine Arts at the most traditional art school in Lucknow, India.

“I established an art studio. Along with my wife and newly born son Erfan, I settled down to build my home in Lucknow,” he said.

After a change of government in Iran, Farvardin found himself ineligible for an Iranian passport and refused an India residential via meaning he and his family were declared “stateless”.

“I was forced to choose between two options — either I had to go back to my home country or proceed to a third country as a refugee,” he said.

“We chose the latter and I lost my home for a second time.”

In 1984, with his small family, Farvardin arrived in Tasmania as a refugee. He was 30, homeless, tired, penniless and friendless.

“Soon the Aussie angels of help, friendship and support arrived at our door in the East Devonport flat we were placed in when we first arrived,” he said.

“Those relationships and friendships are still flourishing, and we are all still in close contact, like any other extended family.

“They were fifth generation Aussies who did not care about colour or belief, they just treated us as family and made our initial stage of settlement easy and joyful.”

Farvardin studied bachelor, master and PhD degrees at Latrobe, Monash and James Cook universities before the final stage of his PhD brought him, his wife Lida and three toddlers to Townsville where they started their “humble life” at Pope St, Aitkenvale.

“There was something else that attracted me to this place,” he said.

“(It was the) original inhabitants of this land — the Aboriginal people and their connection to culture and country.

“It was at JCU, when I was working as a research assistant that, for the first time, I heard of Townsville’s past racial struggles.

“From my own personal experiences of being an outsider, I could see that there are issues that need to be resolved and wounds that need to heal.

“So, I offered my services for that healing and unifying process. Unifying Australia’s fragmented multiculturalism became my purpose.”

In the 1990s Farvardin became involved with the Migrant Resource Centre and became the centre’s director in 1995. It was then renamed the Townsville Intercultural Centre.

Farvardin also established the Townsville Cultural Festival to help his efforts to unify the city.

“My wife Lida and my children joined hands in supporting me and never discouraged me,” he said.

“For 24 years Lida has worked with me as a full-time volunteer, never complaining about putting up with a part-time husband and dad.”

The festival grew from a small half-day affair to an internationally recognised event.

Despite a period of uncertainty in 2016 when Townsville City Council withdrew its financial support, the festival has since continued and is now held in the grounds of JCU in August.