Our special evening at Dior was a HUGE SUCCESS! 

Thank you to Carol Benis, Brooke Travis and everyone at the house of Dior.  To our FCI Family, we ask you to shop Dior for Mother's Day and beyond...Below are just a few photos of this fabulous event...to view the full gallery and/or purchase high resolution copies, click here.

The Princess delivered a toast in both Farsi & French.  Below is the remainder of her beautiful and touching speech to the crowd at Dior.

Speech Given by Princess Yasmine Pahlavi at the Dior Fundraiser

 

The late colorful, and very loveable, Governor Anne Richards used to say:   "Don't tell me about your values....show me your check book and I will tell you about your values."

 

Well, tonight is one of those exceptional evenings where you can indulge your good taste and show your values by helping some of the most wonderful, the most forsaken children in the world. 

 

You must admit being a child in need from Iran is not a sympathetic position to be.  Your own government, like most totalitarian ones, does not even acknowledge the need....cannot & therefore will not provide treatment, not even palliative or comfort care......much less ask for help if services are not available in Iran.

 

This is where we come in...you and me.  The numbers are easy to recount…since 1991... in excess of 3000 cases reviewed... more than 800 since April 2008... including the day after our interview with Voice of America --- a record breaking 100 calls in one day!  We have provided care, of one kind or another, to over 1000 children, in & out of Iran….with 30 of them receiving medical or surgical services in the United States and 7 under active care in Iran as we speak. 

 

And today, as we gather amongst all these truly beautiful designs, by team Galliano at the House of Dior, we are reminded of what a beautiful world it is with the arrival of two more patients just 2 days ago….

 

So if I may I would really like to talk to you about our “chain of hope”.

 

This chain extends from Tehran through Dubai and New York and delivers are children to Minneapolis and once healed carries them back home.

 

It weaves through Washington, Paris, Los Angeles, Houston, London and through the kind hearts of every Iranian who never forgot…..never forgot where they came from…and never forgot the precious children of our sweet land of Iranzamin.

 

You are each a link in our chain of hope...you are the lifeline for Banoo, who had 7 hours of open heart surgery today...she came through it all beautifully and Cheesta who is scheduled to have two surgeries on May 5th and May 28th...as surgeons try to improve her breating...her lungs are currently functioning at 25% the poor little thing just can't breathe...

 

Make no mistake...Banoo and Cheesta would perish if it were not for you...you Assi, you Carol, you Nazanin, you Roya...you, you and you...and all the kind hands who join together...our chain of hope.

 

Knowing you....my friends...my family....my compatriots make this happen, it is a source of pride, energy and endless love.  

To look at these 2 girls and think about the other 30 children whose lives have been spared...whose parents don't have to beg and kiss people's hands anymore, who may actually have a chance at making our world, our Iran, a better place....fills my heart with joy and pride. 

 

This is the power of your donation.....we are not tired...we are determined!  We are not discouraged....we are hopeful!  We are not alone...we have you!  And that is all our children need....YOU & me...determined, hopeful & united.  We will change their fate.....and in time united, determined and hopeful we will see the destiny of a nation change....one healed heart at a time.

 

I would be remiss if I did not extend a very special note of gratitude to Carol Benis and Brooke Travis and the entire Dior organization, especially the wonderful staff here and in NY.  We are indebted to you for this special gesture of friendship....I know my friends will only wear Dior from now on...right?

 

So here is a good guideline someone once suggested for these events.... please buy something equivalent in price to the retail price of your purse...at least!  If you are wearing a knock off....naughty, naughty...use the real price of the designer purse....okay?

 

Seriously....thank you, thank you, thank you for the pleasure of your company this evening...please keep our two precious children in your thoughts and prayers and please follow their progress on our website or twitter….

 

Finally please join me...raise your glass...to good health…to Carol...and of course to Iran and her sons and daughters.