Faezeh Alavi, an Iranian-born scholar and artist whose dialogue event at King’s College was canceled following protests from anti-Israel activists, remains optimistic about restoring Iranian-Israeli relations and rejects Western silencing techniques in academia that “remind her of home.”
“It’s ironic that I left a country with no freedom of expression – only to find myself being silenced in the West – and in an event promoting dialogue between Israelis and Iranians,” said Alavi.
Alavi, a 30-year-old scholar living in Scotland, referred to the canceling of an event she was invited to speak at, titled “From Conflict to Connection: Israelis and Iranians in Dialogue,” hosted at King’s College by the King’s Geopolitics Forum last month.
As the event began and as Alavi started to speak about the Islamic Republic regime’s changing of the traditional Iranian flag, students who were present at the lecture began shouting and screaming slogans, which led to the event being canceled altogether.
Alavi was born in Iran, a country she holds dear but felt she had to leave in search of greater opportunities and freedom of expression. Her experiences paint a vivid picture of life under the Islamic regime – a world of dual lives, where intellectual curiosity constantly battles against systemic oppression.
She recalled the challenging environment of Iranian universities, where anti-Israel and anti-American sentiments form the ideological bedrock of the Islamic Revolution.
Despite the pervasive propaganda, Alavi emphasized that most Iranians secretly desire change. She noted that even professors and teachers often subtly resist the regime’s narrative, finding creative ways to speak truth to power. “It’s very challenging,” she said, “but it’s possible to find a way to truth and common sense.”
Since arriving in the UK, Alavi has dedicated her academic pursuits to understanding development policy and foreign relations, with a particular focus on the Middle East. She is also an artist who views art as a potent vessel of communication, believing in the transformative power of artistic expression – a belief rooted in her Persian cultural background.
“Art can touch people’s hearts and bridge between them,” Alavi explained.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a poem or a painting. I see power in art that can reach anyone’s hearts. There are things that can’t be described with words, but art manages to convey messages even without them,” Alavi described Persian art relating strongly to emotions.
Her artwork, including a piece titled Chords of Cyrus, symbolizes the historical connection between Iran and Israel, referencing Cyrus the Great’s liberation of Jews from Babylonian captivity. She even created a map of Israel using Persian art techniques, highlighted with orange tones to show support for the Bibas family – and wore a yellow hostage pin during her interview with The Jerusalem Post.
‘Silenced, just like back at home’
As a Muslim woman wearing a hijab while advocating against the Islamic regime in Iran, Alavi described how she faces unique challenges and stigmas in her advocacy.
“People are shocked when they learn of my support for Israel and my rejection of the regime. I’ve been accused of many things, including Islamophobia, which is just ridiculous. They are trying to silence me even though I speak from my personal experience in Iran itself.”
She added that she remains undeterred and will continue to challenge the regime’s narrative that ‘only non-Muslim Iranians desire political change.’
Alavi’s personal journey took an unexpected turn following the Hamas attack on October 7. This event prompted her to seek connections with the Jewish community, a group she had never encountered during her time in Iran.
Alavi said that, in the Jewish community, she found powerful allies and meaningful friendships, which challenged the divisive rhetoric that was expected of her.
The dialogue event hosted by King’s Geopolitics Forum, aimed at exploring potential friendships between Iranians and Israelis, became a pivotal moment in her advocacy when it was dramatically disrupted by protesters. Alavi described the experience as deeply reminiscent of the silencing tactics she had encountered in Iran.
“We attempted to reschedule the event, but they told us that it wasn’t safe to do an in-person one, so we may move it online,” Alavi said, recalling that she had participated in protests in Iran and saw brutal oppression of the freedom of expression.
“The feeling of silencing is similar to the feeling back at home. Interestingly, Iranians, no matter their background – as soon as they try to speak out against what’s happening in Iran and against the regime or support Iran – they face this silencing in Western countries as well.”
Alavi is acutely aware of the challenges facing open dialogue. She spoke about the difficulties of expressing support for Israel in public spaces, even in London, where she was advised to remove her hostage solidarity pin while walking in the streets, a testament to the complex social dynamics surrounding the ongoing conflicts.
Alavi's refusal to give up
But Alavi refuses to give up. The broader context of her work extends beyond personal experience, as she highlights the deep historical connections between Iranian and Jewish communities, connections that existed for thousands of years before the establishment of the Islamic regime.
Her hope is to rebuild these bridges, and to create a coalition that transcends religious and political boundaries.While acknowledging that some Iranians do support the current regime, she believes they represent a minority.
More importantly, she sees potential for change, particularly among diaspora communities and within academic circles.
“Even so, I am also realistic about the current state of academic discourse. It became frozen and resistant to meaningful transformation, and many times it sides with the violent terrorists rather than the bridge builders and dialogue promoters, unfortunately,” she added.
When asked whether she believes there is hope for Iranian-Israeli relations, Alavi answered positively.
“We share a historical bond, an ancient friendship spanning thousands of years – that was cut with the establishment of the Islamic regime. I hope that one day we can solidify our friendship and the strong bond between us.
“The two communities walk together both in the Middle East and beyond, and I hope that the truth will find its way into our hearts. I always hope that a coalition of Iranians and Israelis can be formed to change the narrative, like the one we tried here in the UK.”