>>> To go back to the HOME page click HERE.
As a project of the Iranian Nonviolence component of
PATH, please see: Peace-seeking Iranian Veterans
>>> https://piv-kas.blogspot.com/
NOTE:
A summary of the below-outlined biography of brother Moji Agha, followed by the GOALS of the PATH speaking tour (all below) is found HERE, in the website of JUUstice Washington.
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SUMMARY BIO
A retired mental health professional and university educator in psychology and social sciences, brother Moji Agha left a promising career well over two decades ago, shifting his extensive education and experience to the healing of "Grandmother Earth." He has had a four-decades-long professional, clinical, and academic background in psychology, cultural (and ecological) studies and conflict understanding and healing. His peace, justice, human rights, democracy, interfaith dialogue, and Mother Earth activism has been endorsed by many legendary figures, such as Prof. Noam Chomsky. This is the link to the HOME page of a simple website that summarizes his ambitious Peace And Truth Heals (PATH) undertaking, and we invite you to look, in particular, at the two-part "Directory" section of this site.
NOTE:
In the Phase One of the PATH speaking tour Moji Agha (Mojtaba Aghamohammadi) will again be driving his "fragile nonviolence mobile" referenced in the bio section of THIS talk.
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BIOGRAPHY OF BROTHER MOJI AGHA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Academic/Teaching Background
- Chomskyan Activism and Artistic Background
- The UU Hosts of brother Moji's Presentations, Including his "Un-sermon"
- Other Houses of Worship and Civil Society Organizations
- Brother Moji at Standing Rock
- Founded Organizations and Projects
- Mossadegh Legacy Institute
- Interfaith Vigil for Peace
- Other Initiatives
- Bilingual Petition Urging the U.S. to Return to the Iran Nuclear Deal (Drafted and
translated by Moji Agha--edited by Prof. Noam Chomsky)
-Contextual U.S.-Iran policy analysis provided by brother Moji Agha
- Published Essays by Moji Agha
- Internal Despotism, External Colonialism
- A University Talk and Some Other Peace Projects
- Peace in the Middle
- UNDEMONIZATION
- Poems
- Essays
- A CURRENTLY UNFOLDING INITIATIVE
- LA Progressive
- Please Note / Iranian.com / Cultivate
BIOGRAPHY OF BROTHER MOJI AGHA (A more extended summary)
Moji Agha (born Mojtaba Aghamohammadi in Tehran, Iran in 1958) is a 65-year-old dual U.S./Iranian citizen and a Muslim Sufi "monk" (or dervish) with a vow of service and poverty. At age 19, in 1977, he immigrated to North America (under relatively mild political duress) for educational opportunities, and was unable to return to Iran because of the 1979 "Islamic" Revolution--and also due to his overt nonviolence and human rights activism, which continues today.
Academic/Teaching Background
He studied agriculture in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada, and obtained his undergraduate degree in Soil Science from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. He has also received two Masters Degrees in psychology (University of West Georgia and Duquesne University in Pennsylvania) and nearly finished his doctoral dissertation at Saybrook University in California.
He taught counseling and cross-culturally psychology courses (California State University, Hayward, and Prescott College) and later was a part-time faculty member at the University of Phoenix, teaching psychology/cultural diversity studies. Among Moji's other innovative academic achievements has been his founding of the (no longer operational) Project on Culture and Conflict, based at the Africana Studies Department at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Chomskyan Activism and Artistic Background
A "Chomskyan” activist for nearly 4 decades, brother Moji has had extensive academic, professional, and clinical backgrounds in psychology, cultural (and ecological) studies and conflict understanding and healing. His peace, justice, human rights, democracy, interfaith dialogue, and Mother Earth activism has been endorsed by legendary figures such as Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, and Charter for Compassion's Founder Karen Armstrong. To dedicate his life to full-time "civility" work, he left, well over two decades ago, a promising clinical and academic career, shifting his extensive education and experience to the healing of "Grandmother Earth and her civilizationally bewildered grandchildren."
A retired psychologist and educator, Moji Agha is a published bilingual poet (and amateur songwriter and satirist), and he has written numerous published essays, both in English and Persian. His writings include a book, in Persian, on how to quit smoking naturally.
Although retired, he is a tireless more than full-time "peace pilgrim" whose intersectional "civility" activism includes the realms of peace, conflict resolution, human rights, social justice, democracy, interfaith dialogue, and Mother Earth protection.
The UU Hosts of brother Moji's Presentations, Including his "Un-sermon"
Between 2013 and now (almost the end of 2023), brother Moji Agha's presentations (and "Intersectional Circles") have been hosted by at least 15 Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations in the regions he has travelled, including the following states and cities--presented in alphabetical order: Arizona (Glendale), Colorado (Colorado Springs, Denver), Idaho (Idaho Falls), Nevada (Las Vegas), New Mexico (Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe), North Dakota (Bismarck, Standing Rock), South Dakota (Rapid City, Sioux Falls), Texas (Beaumont, Midland), and Wyoming (Casper). The details of these UU talks are outlined HEREIN, listed in the Directory section of PATH Initiative's Home page.
We invite the readers of this brief biography to watch, HEREIN,
On August 12, 2020, in an action organized by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) Moji Agha joined more than 500 faith leaders, professionals, and institutions across the nation demanding that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons adhere to CDC guidelines. The concluding paragraph of the press release of this "Love Resists" action stated:
“Compassion, hence love-based justice, is perhaps the foundational pillar of the Islamic--hence Sufi--spiritual tradition,” said Moji Agha, a Boulder, CO-based Sufi Muslim and peace and justice activist with a vow of service and poverty. “Thus, an ideal outcome would be for no one to suffer injustice, let alone be imprisoned unjustly. And further, may the word ‘enemy’ disappear from our human consciousness one day.”
Other Houses of Worship and Civil Society Organizations
Besides Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations and churches, other hosts and co-sponsors (so far) of Moji Agha's peace-building presentations and "Intersectional Circles" have been dozens of diverse other houses of worship as well as secular civil society organizations, including various Chapters of Veterans for Peace (VFP) of which brother Moji is a Associate Member; and besides being a supportive member of the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), he has recently become a member of Historians for Peace and Democracy (H-PAD).
Brother Moji at Standing Rock
In the late Fall of 2016 brother Moji joined with the Standing Rock Water Keepers "DAPL" uprising for almost two months. Here is an online news report in which he is featured as an interfaith leader, and he SPOKE at the "sacred fire" immediately after Prof. Cornel West -- and here is a VIDEO of the same event; see the first 8 minutes, in particular.
Additionally, here is another short video CLIP of brother Moji's brief talk on Nov. 28, 2016 at a Community Forum on Standing Rock at the main branch of the public library in Bismarck, North Dakota.
And, here is the PDF format FLYER of brother Moji's Standing Rock talk (and "Intersectional Circle" formation) on December 17, 2016 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, entitled DECOLONIZING OUR WAYS: The Standing Rock Struggle, Resisting Islamophobia and Nonviolence Circles.
Founded Organizations and Projects
In his more than four decades of academic and professional work, including his "civility" activism, brother Moji has founded many nonprofit organizations and projects, including: Persian-speaking and Middle Eastern Community Services (California), Iransara Community Organization, Universal Coalition for Interfaith and Intercultural Knowledge and Action, and the Project on Culture and Conflict (Arizona), Iranian Nonviolence Initiative (Colorado), PATH or Peace and Truth Heals (U.S. and Canada), the Culture-analysis Institute concept, and the Intersectional Circles Initiative.
Mossadegh Legacy Institute
Also founded by brother Moji (in 2012), the Mossadegh Legacy Institute (SEE HERE) is an organization-in-continual-
Mossadegh Legacy Institute: Moji Agha's Nonviolence Tour of the U.S.
>>> A seven-minute TALK (about Move to Amend) by Moji Agha, in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Sept. 2013)
- KBOO Public Radio Station (Portland, Oregon) News Interview with Moji Agha -- 06/12/2013
https://kboo.fm/media/15527-
- 06/17/2013 -- Per Fagereng interviews Moji Agha about the results of the Iranian elections
https://kboo.fm/media/28788-
- Moji Agha Portland, Oregon Radio Interview: The Legacy of Dr. Mossadegh and the Possibility of Peace -- 06/20/2013
https://kboo.fm/media/28787-
- Iran Nuclear Deal -- Moji Agha's Portland, Oregon Radio Interview -- 12/02/2013
https://kboo.fm/media/31184-
Interfaith Vigil for Peace
On May 5, 2003 the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, SEE HERE, featured (the no-longer existing Tucson Citizen daily newspaper as its source) the "Interfaith Vigil for Peace" that brother Moji Agha started the day after the U.S. began attacking Iraq; and this around the clock vigil went on for 60 days and nights, attracting over 3000 "vigilers" during the two months it went on at its original location. Here is an excerpt of the Pluralism Project's summary article:
"... [The] interfaith vigil for peace [in front of] the Islamic Center of Tucson [AZ] continues - even after President Bush on Friday announced an end to major combat operations in Iraq...The war in Iraq may end, but the round-the-clock Interfaith Vigil to Stop Violence will not end until there is peace in the Middle East, said Moji Agha, the founder of the Universal Coalition for Interfaith and Intercultural Knowledge and Action... 'The war is over, and yet the violence continues,' he said yesterday. 'If the violence stops, please let me know. We'll be more than happy to stop' the vigil."
THE VIGIL'S FIRST NIGHT -- March 21, 2003
2015
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Other Initiatives
Apart from the initiatives mentioned above, here is a list of SOME of the projects brother Moji has founded since 9/11, including their year(s) of initiation:
Universal Coalition for Interfaith and Intercultural Knowledge and Action (Founded purposefully on September 11, 2002); Project on Culture and Conflict (University of Arizona--2005); Iran Peace Project (2006); International Institute to Study Climate Change in the Islamic World (2007); Think Tent of Tucson (Part of the Occupy Movement--2011); Active participation in the "Green Movement" of Iran (2009 to 2012); Truth and Reconciliation Process, Iran (2012--Continuation of the Green Movement); Mossadegh Awareness Begets American Nonviolence Speaking Tour of the U.S. (Started in May 2013) which was an independently functioning project of the Mossadegh Legacy Institute that brother Moji founded in 2012--encouraged by Prof. Noam Chomsky.
Peace Petitions
And please note the following four self-explanatory petitions, of which Prof. Noam Chomsky and Archbishop Desmond Tutu were among its honorary initial signers:
Gandhi/Mossadegh Nobel Peace Prize Petition (A project of the Mossadegh Legacy Institute--2012/2013);
FURTHER EXAMPLES OF BROTHER MOJI'S ACTIVISM
a) Writing Samples
An Urgent Statement of Peace Principle: A Bilingual Petition Urging the U.S. to Return to the Iran Nuclear Deal (Drafted and translated by Moji Agha--edited by Prof. Noam Chomsky)
Honorary Co-endorsers included: Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Nobel Peace Prize Laureate); Prof. Noam Chomsky; Prof. Cornel West
O' friends of peace: Given that the already tense year of 2019 continues to be increasingly crisis-filled, we the undersigned, ethically and morally endorse this Urgent Statement of Peace Principle, because we are highly alarmed by the continually worrisome international developments in the already volatile Persian Gulf region; Further escalating tensions, in the wake of the U.S. administration's sanctions-imposing and war-mongering 2018 unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA); a difficult and long multilaterally negotiated "Iran nuclear deal" that was (and still is) a rather promising international agreement enhancing global peace, backed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
Thus, we the undersigned, encourage and support all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, and also all of the candidates for the American Presidential Elections in 2020 (especially Senator Bernie Sanders), who have clearly stated the wise policy desire of returning the U.S. to the JCPOA.
Such a sanctions-lifting and war-averting unambiguous re-entry to the agreement would send a significant signal, namely that America is not a "rogue" nation, and instead it seeks peaceful and respectful resolution of international conflicts. Accepting its negotiated JCPOA obligations, we want the U.S. to return to full compliance with all the provisions of this painfully negotiated multilateral peace-building agreement; thus showing its renewed commitment to and respect for international laws, and for peace.
Hence, we encourage and support doing all that is possible, by all who care deeply for peace and justice, to include taking all relevant tension-reducing and trust-enhancing possible steps (toward careful re-tilling, with prudence and wisdom, the soil of reinvigorated unconditional multilateral and bilateral JCPOA-grounded talks), in order to begin repairing the profound damage, in particular to the global credibility of the U.S., that President Trump Administration's highly reckless behaviors and policies have caused, especially regarding Iran.
We the signers of this urgent statement of principled peace, hereby declare, with the worried but clear voice of our collective conscience, that in this era of perilous climate change replacing “maximum pressure” with maximum good will is a moral must, not only for the sake of global peace and security, but due to the fact that this time, we humans need to shoulder the perilous responsibility of safeguarding the survival of life.
PERSIAN TRANSLATION...
Contextual U.S.-Iran policy analysis provided by brother Moji Agha
to the 2020 Presidential Campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders
Since the 2nd World War, the American foreign policy toward Iran has been an unwise combination of the following ideas and practices with DISASTROUS ON-GOING CONSEQUENCES:
i. The exploitative unequal "partnership" policy under the brutal rule of the Shah, after the CIA/MI6 coup of 1953 (especially during the Nixon and Ford administrations); ii. The highly unsuccessful (and confused) ATTEMPTED restorative diplomatic management of the consequences of Iran's 1979 Revolution (Carter Administration); iii. Vacillating between "regime change" and sanction-filled war-mongering coercive diplomacy (Reagan and George H. W. Bush Administrations); iv. The dual containment coercive diplomacy policy, involving punitive sanctions (Clinton Administration); v. Aggressive neo-conservative regime change "diplomacy" -- with even harsher sanctions and the active "axis of evil" threats of war (G. W. Bush Administration); vi. Critical Engagement Policy, with still harsh sanctions, finally producing (despite all challenges) the Iran Nuclear Agreement (Obama Administration); vii. And finally under Trump's administration: Unilateral abrogation of the Iran Nuclear Agreement, and illegally re-imposing catastrophic economic, etc. sanctions (seeking regime change, in fact) along with the deeply racist and Islamophobic policy of coercive meta-colonial fake "diplomacy" with disastrous consequences for the people and the democracy and human rights movement inside Iran.
b) Some of the Published Essays (in English) by Moji Agha
- The "Last Supper" Essay (2004) Reaching peace in art: Basic thoughts about diversity in our horrifying times
THIS analytical essay is not accessible because apparently the website no longer exists, unfortunately.
- Internal Despotism, External Colonialism -- 2018 -- Boulder (Colorado) Daily Camera Newspaper: SEE HERE.
- Bernie Campaign: A Middle Eastern Culinary Challenge (2019) Boulder Daily Camera Newspaper--See the third letter, HEREIN.
- Click HERE to read an analytical essay (containing a historical review) by Moji Agha, of the events immediately following the June of 2009 electoral coup in Iran, resulting in the Green Movement--a nonviolent uprising that was subsequently crushed.
c) A University Talk and Some Other Peace Projects and Presentations
- The Current Dangers of Nuclear War: A 2018 panel discussion at U. of Colorado, including David Barsamian and Moji Agha, HEREIN.
- Peace in the Middle: Caring and Moderate Independent Peace-seekers of Iran (2021)
- UNDEMONIZATION: YES TO PEACE / NO TO WAR! (2020)
An Interfaith (inside Iran) Collaboration in the People-to-People Struggle for Peace, and Against Islamophobia: SEE HERE.
- Moji Agha's peace-building "Intersectional Circles" presentation (minutes 12 to 35) at a meeting of the Progressive Democrats of America chapter in the Phoenix area, Arizona, U.S. (Summer of 2017) SEE HERE.
- The Abraham's Peace Tent dream -- in all of the 3 forms of "OUR Worship, YOUR House" initiative (2015) -- SEE HERE.
- At the PoetrySoup: Some of brother Moji's English Language published Poems (and two essays)
Poems: SEE HERE.
Essays:
OOHOOM Pregnancy: SEE HERE.
Prose Translation of Cosmontological Poetry: SEE HERE.
A CURRENTLY UNFOLDING INITIATIVE
And a current "genetically intersectional" example of brother Moji's highly creative proposals is the Cars, etc., Art, Care (CAC) Initiative, which aims to "transform trash Into art" -- and he has envisioned this job-creating not-for-profit
LA Progressive
And finally, this is the link to the LA Progressive page that features an old (but still useful) mini-bio of brother Moji, along with some of his essays: SEE HERE.
Please Note / Iranian.com / Cultivate
Please note that the Summary Profile, herein, has only given a sample overview of brother Moji Agha's "civility" activism, given that even a cursory mention of his other accomplishment (academic, clinical, poetic/literary, artistic/musical, and other creative writings--in English and Persian) would make the present introduction overwhelmingly long. Thus, to access SOME of such activities of brother Moji Agha, we invite readers of this document to explore the "inner" links of the above-mentioned sites, and look at these two sites:
a) The Iranian.com (archives) page that has additional bio information and 15 of brother Moji's 2001 to 2003 essays (analytical and satirical), short stories, and poems: SEE HERE; and
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SUMMARY PROFILE OF THE PATH INITIATIVE
Moji Agha’s "PATH" Speaking Tour Offerings:
Brother Moji's current "PATH" initiative, i.e., "Peace and Truth Heals" which is outlined herein (and it commences in 2024), constitutes his latest ambitious speaking tour, hosted by many civil society groups and spiritual congregations in the Western regions of the U.S. and Canada.Pursuing the below-listed three goals of this peace-building tour, the below-mentioned three presentations (by Moji Agha--in his talks and Q & A and other two offerings) will cover these three topics: Iranian Nonviolence, Native/American Truth and Reconciliation, and Intersectional Circles.The PATH Speaking Tour: 3 Goals / 3 Presentations/Offerings / 3 TopicsMETHODOLOGY: As the main frame or the methodology of this peace-building effort, brother Moji Agha has the below-outlined three educational offerings for the various congregations (and/or other ally community groups) that host his "PATH: Peace and Truth Heals" speaking tour. His in-person appearances are based on availability in the context of the speaking tour's intended destinations--please see the Directory section, HEREIN; and as possible, these offerings are available on Zoom or in hybrid formats.
ONE: The PATH Initiative's Three Goals
Iranian Nonviolence Goals:
• To reduce the level of systematic dehumanization and demonization of Iranians and Muslims in North America, by a) familiarizing the PATH speaking tour's audience with the rich and ancient heritage of indigenous Iranian nonviolence, and b) by encouraging an "Un-demonization Club" to be formed in each community; and thus
• To help support or build the needed foundations for various forms of peace-building dialogue between Iranians (inside Iran, as possible) and North-Americans, as a non-colonial way of supporting the nonviolent civil society struggles of the Iranian people, who are seeking "good governance," democracy, human rights, social justice, religious freedom, ecological preservation, etc.
Native/American Truth and Reconciliation (NATR) Goals:
• To help solidify the understanding that the initial impetus and moral/ethical responsibility for such a genuine NATR drive should be moved forward by the "whites" (especially in the U.S.), who would then stretch their pleading hands toward the indigenous people of the continent, requesting their collaborative participation; and thus
• To help foster and build an effective nonviolent grassroots movement (by encouraging a "NATR Tent" to be formed in each community) that would demand, effectively, a genuine and comprehensive NATR process of authentic healing, obviously supporting the already existing "residential schools" truth and reconciliation foundations in both sides of the Canada-U.S. border; and
• To help facilitate effective cross-border collaboration, among the interested civil society groups and congregations in the U.S. and Canada, toward actualizing such a civilizing nonviolent grassroots NATR process and sustained organized movement, and thus, working for the realization of the in-depth healing of both the victims as well as the perpetrators.
Intersectional Circles (IC) Goals:
• To help build and foster the needed deep grassroots understanding for a critically important nonviolent "Chamber of Compassion" Intersectional Circles (IC) movement of movements; and
• To begin the hard journey to actually form as many effective ICs as possible (initially locally), in order to build and/or strengthen an integrated not-for-profit infrastructure for systemic collaboration across various community-rooted civil society causes and struggles; and thus
• To help bring together systemically (while preserving and enhancing diversity) our presently highly fragmented civil society, so that through such an effective IC movement of movements we can then help develop the badly needed "critical mass" for an authentically sustainable evolution toward true civility on our deeply distressed Grandmother Earth.
TWO: The PATH Initiative's Three Presentations/Offerings
1- The Basic (Main) Presentation -- Intended for the general communityThis two-hour talk and Q & A is an introduction, in the first half hour of which brother Moji will give a general overview of the speaking tour's three topic (outlined below), namely the Iranian Nonviolence, Native/American Truth and Reconciliation (NATR), and Intersectional Circles initiatives.2- The Teach-in/Workshop Presentation -- Intended more for the focused "activist" communityIn this three-hour presentation (where possible) brother Moji will provide a more in-depth and interactive review of the tour's three topics--outlined below. This offering will also incorporate, as appropriate and possible, time-relevant calls to nonviolent action(s).3- The Sunday "Un-sermon" Presentation (as possible -- per the speaking tour's schedule)In such a Sunday Service-type (Sufism-informed) "un-sermons" brother Moji will explore, in part from his own personal perspective, the spiritual and moral/ethical dimensions of nonviolent "civility" activism and sacrifice.
THREE: The PATH Initiative's Three Topics
A) Iranian NonviolenceBrother Moji will discuss the critical role indigenous nonviolence is playing in the struggle in Iran (especially among the youth) and how the nonviolent resistance of Iranian civil society actors is helping erode the legitimacy of a violent regime. He will talk about how Iranian peace and nonviolence advocates (a lot of them imprisoned), can build connections and synergies with their American counterparts, in order to support one another, to prevent further violence between nations.This is brief description of the "Iranian Nonviolence Project" webinar (on May 8, 2023), that brother Moji Agha presented in a Zoom gathering organized by the New Hampshire Peace Action's "Peace and Justice Conversations" monthly series: WATCH HERE. And this is the hour-long Youtube link of the same talk and Q & A: SEE HERE (notice its brief written outline).
And finally, this is the SIMPLE SITE that Moji created for the bilingual "Iranian Nonviolence" initiative -- which the PATH speaking tour, herein, hopes to revive in some "Un-demonization Clubs" way -- In particular please see the four bilingual goals that he has drafted for this project.
B) Native American Truth and Reconciliation (NATR)Brother Moji will talk about the deep need for a genuine and comprehensive Native American Truth and Reconciliation (NATR) nonviolent process. This is what he wrote shortly after the Standing Rock uprising:"For obvious moral/ethical and historical reasons, we believe that the initial impetus and demand for the herein envisioned "truth and reconciliation" drive should emerge from, and be substantively moved forward by, the morally sensitive 'whites' especially in the U.S., in a similar way that 'white' South Africans (whose consciences were becoming increasingly awake) finally accepted the moral/ethical responsibility of saying NO to Apartheid; and hence they placed themselves in the forefront of the Truth and Reconciliation process in South Africa, stretching their pleading hands toward 'blacks' (and other civility actors) requesting their collaborative participation. It is in this way that such a glorious (and living) chapter in the civilizing history of nonviolence was written, through the profoundly healing collaboration of the perpetrators and the victims."The above paragraph is excerpted from brother Moji's non-profit "decolonization" vision (inspired by the below-mentioned Standing Rock uprising--and highly related to this PATH speaking tour) that is summarized, here, in the simple web page of the Native/American Truth and Reconciliation (NATR) Initiative:C) Intersectional CirclesBrother Moji will discuss the systemic need for Intersectional Circles. As a part of this vision he wrote:"We try to build, initially locally (and later on regionally, nationally, and eventually globally) an integrated infrastructure for systemic collaboration across various community-rooted civil society causes and struggles, i.e., we try to "defrag" our presently highly fragmented civil society. Persons and groups come together to form their local area's Intersectional Circle (IC), in order to begin the process of realizing a diversity-preserving, not-for-profit movement of movements, for authentically sustainable transformation toward true civility on our deeply distressed Grandmother Earth."
SOURCE: SEE HERE.
TWO KINDS OF UU CONGREGATIONS
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