EUJS Chairperson invited to speak at Iranian Protest in Copenhagen The Chairperson of the European Union of Jewish Students, Jonas Karpantschof, has been invited to speak at a protest organised by a number of grassroots Iranian dissident groups against the presence of the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in Copenhagen. The protest will be happening in Copenhagen city centre on Thursday December 17th at 16:00-18:00, a few hours before EUJS’s own protest across the street from the Danish Parliament
The invitation was extended to EUJS in acknowledgement of the work they have done in coordinating and cooperating with the given Iranian groups, and the help and support EUJS has given the Iranian people in the past difficult months they have faced. This is the first such invitation and a start of a unique cooperation between Iranian and Jewish Students, and we have no doubt will lead to a strengthening and building of a new and invaluable relationship between the two groups.
Please find the speech given below:
My name is Jonas Karpantschof and I stand before you as the President of the European Union of Jewish students, a pan-European umbrella organization of 34 national Jewish students organizations across Europe. I stand before you as a Jew, as a human being and as an opponent to Ahmadinejad and his regime.
5 Months ago EUJS proudly stood up in the United Nations and looked the devil in the eyes. We openly and proudly told him and the world that this racist is not welcome in the community of nations and not welcome anywhere in Europe! EUJS led a campaign to make sure that not leader listened to the hate filled rhetoric that Ahmadenijad delivered, and made sure that no leader believed the lies he told, or gave him the time of day to talk in.
I fought him in Geneva, and I stand by you now proudly fighting him in Copenhagen, and will continue to fight him wherever he goes in Europe. I will continue to urge all nations not to meet with the Iranian leader, no European politician to shake his hand, and all people to show solidarity with the oppressed Iranian people and stand united against this racist leader.
The Iranian regime has now got a point where it openly flouts international law in its pursuit of a nuclear bomb. Giving a nuclear bomb to the Iranian regime will not only completely destabilise the Middle East, but is a direct threat to the whole of Europe. Just yesterday the Iranian regime successfully tested the Sajjil-2 missile which has the potential to reach not only Israel, but as far as Ukraine and the rest of Eastern Europe at threat.
It is only a matter of time before the missiles start reaching, Denmark, France and Germany. I urge all of Europe and the whole Community of Nations to stand united and place economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran to make sure that it cannot be a continued and serious threat to world peace. We should follow the lead of the Iranian people and boycott the use of Nokia and Siemens, who provide technical knowledge and assistance to the Iranian regime. Five months ago I stood up to Ahmadenijad as a Jew, in full knowledge of the disgusting human rights abuses that are happening right now in Iran.
I proudly share this stage with those who have fled Iran for fear of persecution and oppression from its leaders. I will stand and give a voice for the gay community, the Bahais, all those who are oppressed, have no voice and fear for their lives. I stand for all ethnic and national minorities in Iran and will proudly chase this holocaust denying racist across Europe making sure that he knows that he is not welcome anywhere in Europe whilst he continues his oppression of his own people.
The European Union of Jewish Students stands with all Iranian groups here today, with all suppressed voices and minorities. We continue to urge all nations to take their responsibility seriously in terms of the threat that this regime poses. But more importantly we will continue to urge all people across the world to stand up with these Iranian groups, to stand up for the cause of justice and freedom, the Iranian struggle belongs not only to the Iranians, but to all of us here today to make sure that freedom wins over oppression in the end.
Let us hope that the city of Copenhagen, renamed Hopenhagen for this conference, provides hope and success for the Iranian people.
