The UNBC Iranian Student Association (UISA) has something to celebrate – and a lot of work still ahead.
Following their February 7 memorial event, UISA announced they raised $2,700 for a permanent memorial bench on campus, honouring those killed in Iran’s ongoing crackdown. Hossein Asadi, a UNBC PhD student, and Hossein Zeinalzadeh, a UNBC alumnus, led the campaign with a group of students. Follow their updates on Instagram at @UNBC_ISA.
The bench location is still being finalized.
In addition to their advocacy efforts, a memorial table display was set up at UNBC. UISA put it simply: “This is our stand. We do not forget. We do not back down.”
Hossein Asadi said he didn’t expect how many families were too scared to even share the names of their children who had died or were facing execution. One photo at the table is of a young man named Amirreza. Asadi listened to five minutes of his family mourning – describing how innocent he was, how he suffered in isolation, and how much it meant to be heard thousands of kilometres away. “His name was Ahmad Khosravani.”
UISA is also circulating a petition addressed to Chancellor Elder McIntosh and President Dr. Bill Owen, calling for the temporary display of the historic Lion and Sun flag on campus. Leaked IRGC documents, obtained by Iran International and corroborated by The Guardian, indicate more than 36,500 people have been killed. The Lion and Sun flag – distinct from any symbol of the current regime – has already been recognized at UBC, York University, SFU, the University of Toronto, and at the BC Legislature’s solidarity gathering in January 2026. UISA frames the request as a humanitarian gesture, not a political one: a message that UNBC sees its Iranian community and stands against human rights violations. Signatures are currently being gathered from UNBC faculty, staff, students, and community members.
UISA thanked UNBC for the ongoing support and approving/supporting events such as the memorial event and the display. They also recognized Mayor Simon Yu for his public support, Dr. Zoë Meletis – Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental and Sustainability Studies – for being “a true mentor who has always had our back,” Trudy Klassens, City of Prince George Councillor, the NBCGSS Board f Directors, the P.E.O. Organization’s Prince George branch committee members, and R. Radloff & Associates Inc. for their contributions.
This year’s Nowruz celebration is tentatively set for March 20 or 21. UISA was initially hesitant – the weight of recent months made celebration feel complicated. After reflection, they decided to go ahead, dedicating the event to those who lost their lives for freedom in Iran and to all those continuing to do so around the world.
