On 26th November, the University’s Ezri Centre for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, hosted Her Imperial Majesty Farah Pahlavi in London at Maison Assouline to celebrate the launch of “Iran Modern: The Empress of Art” by Viola Raikhel-Bolot and Miranda Darling. Dr. Efrat Sopher, a University of Haifa UK Trustee who is at the helm of the Ezri Centre, led a Q&A session with the Empress, allowing for an intimate recount of very personal stories. The four women panel was a striking demonstration of the soft power that women hold at the highest level. The conversation flowed effortlessly from contemporary art and fashion, to empires lost, women in power, and the role women play in regime change.
The Ezri Centre was founded by the late Ambassador Meir Ezri, Dr. Sopher’s grandfather, to promote research and awareness, providing insight into the society, economy, politics, religion and culture of Iran and other countries of the Persian Gulf in order to bridge cultural differences.