Afshin-Jam dedicates Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal to Nasrin Sotoudeh
Iranian-Canadian human rights activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam has received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal presented on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II and the Governor General of Canada by Senator Zimmer in recognition of "dedicated service to peers, community and to Canada." In her thank you remarks, Afshin-Jam dedicated part of her speech to highlighting the work and service of dedicated Iranian human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh who is on her 43rd day of hunger strike in Evin Prison in Iran.
Nazanin Afshin-Jam, born 1979 in Tehran, Iran, is an Iranian-Canadian human rights activist, singer, songwriter, model, actress, pilot, former Miss World Canada (2003) and Miss World 1st runner up. Afshin-Jam immigrated with her family to North Vancouver, B.C., in 1981 after having fled Iran for Spain when she was just a baby. Her father had been general manger of the Sheraton Hotel in Tehran where music, alcohol and parties were part of the routine before the 1979 Islamic revolution. After the revolution, he was thrown in jail but a friend managed to secure his release.
Afshin-Jam speaks three languages and was once named one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. She is married to Canada's Defense Minister Peter MacKay.
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