•I would like to begin with condolences I would like to begin with condolences on behalf of myself, the Iranian Sports on behalf of myself, the Iranian Sports Journalists Association and my country, Journalists Association and my country, Iran, to all who are hosting this Iran, to all who are hosting this congress, the Beijing Olympic Games congress, the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee, the Chinese Organizing Committee, the Chinese Sport Press Association and to the Sport Press Association and to the survivors of the recent earthquake in survivors of the recent earthquake in Sichuan provinceSichuan province..

I wish to thank AIPS, special thanks to Gianni Merlo the president and the AIPS EC members for paying attention to young sport journalists education. As someone who has enjoyed such a valuable opportunity, I wish this kind of experience and education will be provided for other young sport journalists by AIPS and the Continental Associations.

Many thanks to Roslyn Morris, the hard working and Many thanks to Roslyn Morris, the hard working and determined executive editor of AIPS Magazine who determined executive editor of AIPS Magazine who warmly hosted and supported the first two scholarship warmly hosted and supported the first two scholarship recipients while I did not know until the last moment recipients while I did not know until the last moment that I owe parts of my happiness and the great that I owe parts of my happiness and the great experience of improving English language skills in TAFE experience of improving English language skills in TAFE

Hunter Institute to herHunter Institute to her . .

•I am happy that as the I am happy that as the first AIPS/English+ first AIPS/English+ Further Study Downunder Further Study Downunder English language English language scholarship recipient scholarship recipient (along with Frank Marin (along with Frank Marin Vergara from Cuba), Vergara from Cuba), spent four weeks in the spent four weeks in the Hunter TAFE (Institute of Hunter TAFE (Institute of Technical and Further Technical and Further Education) in the city of Education) in the city of Newcastle, on the coast Newcastle, on the coast north of Sydney, to north of Sydney, to improve listening and improve listening and speaking skills while speaking skills while actually it was much actually it was much more than that and now I more than that and now I am here representing am here representing young sports journalists, young sports journalists, female journalists and female journalists and also Iranian female also Iranian female journalistsjournalists..

•Going to Australia, the country famed for its young, friendly, colorful Going to Australia, the country famed for its young, friendly, colorful population and multi cultural society , beautiful beaches, skilful actors and population and multi cultural society , beautiful beaches, skilful actors and actress, professional footballers, the cricket lovers, and unusual animals, actress, professional footballers, the cricket lovers, and unusual animals, was a valued opportunity for me to become familiar to a new world, to learn was a valued opportunity for me to become familiar to a new world, to learn more about my host country and other various cultures from the colorful more about my host country and other various cultures from the colorful classmates who were once described as a “United Nations” by Frankclassmates who were once described as a “United Nations” by Frank..

•The string of events The string of events began during the first began during the first days I was in days I was in Newcastle, especially Newcastle, especially when Australian prime when Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, minister, Kevin Rudd, apologized to the apologized to the Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people for injustices committed injustices committed over two centuries of over two centuries of white settlement. To white settlement. To celebrate this celebrate this Aboriginal dancers at Aboriginal dancers at TAFE Hunter Institute TAFE Hunter Institute celebrated the apology celebrated the apology

on 12 Februaryon 12 February . .

Aboriginal Dancers in TAFEAboriginal Dancers in TAFE

•On February 16, after On February 16, after I put the story of I put the story of aboriginal dancers on aboriginal dancers on the AIPS website, I the AIPS website, I was interviewed by was interviewed by Tracey Holmes, the Tracey Holmes, the lovely host of the lovely host of the Australian Australian Broadcasting Broadcasting Commission's Commission's national weekend national weekend sports show, sports show,

GrandstandGrandstand , ,

and it was through her and Roslyn Morris’ and it was through her and Roslyn Morris’ efforts that we (with Frank) were honored to efforts that we (with Frank) were honored to watch the last Sydney appearance of legend watch the last Sydney appearance of legend Adam Gilchrist in a One-Day International Adam Gilchrist in a One-Day International

cricket match against Indiacricket match against India..

•On the same afternoon, On the same afternoon, we went next door to the we went next door to the

Sydney Football Sydney Football Stadium where Stadium where

thousands of faithful thousands of faithful Australian fans were Australian fans were

cheering for the “Golden cheering for the “Golden Boys" of the my adopted Boys" of the my adopted

home – the Newcastle home – the Newcastle Jets in the A League Jets in the A League

grand final soccer grand final soccer championship against championship against

Central Coast MarinersCentral Coast Mariners..

•The drama The drama –– charged 1- charged 1-0 win saw the Jets 0 win saw the Jets

amongst the best in the amongst the best in the AFC Champions LeagueAFC Champions League..

Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Newcastle Jets v Central Coast MarinersMariners

•I met Tracey in I met Tracey in the headquarters the headquarters building of the building of the ABC (Australian ABC (Australian Broadcasting Broadcasting Corporation) in a Corporation) in a suburb called suburb called Ultimo. So we Ultimo. So we wasted no time wasted no time touring every touring every floor of the floor of the newly-combined newly-combined home of ABC home of ABC television and television and radioradio..

My presence at Newcastle was not just an My presence at Newcastle was not just an opportunity to improve upon the language opportunity to improve upon the language skills but I also experienced living and skills but I also experienced living and

dreaming Englishdreaming English ; ;

a language that truly is unique and the most a language that truly is unique and the most spoken language in the world of sports and spoken language in the world of sports and could be called the instrument of could be called the instrument of

intercultural communicationintercultural communication . .

•Sports, contrary to all other aspects of society Sports, contrary to all other aspects of society such as economy, politic sand government which such as economy, politic sand government which are too divergent, has the same culture and rules are too divergent, has the same culture and rules all over the world; laws are followed every where all over the world; laws are followed every where without any pressure from governments or army without any pressure from governments or army forces. Everybody whether white or colored, forces. Everybody whether white or colored, secular or faithful, have the same perception of secular or faithful, have the same perception of "Fair Play". The most popular sports like soccer are "Fair Play". The most popular sports like soccer are recognized as the best ground to promote unity recognized as the best ground to promote unity against racism, poverty, illiteracy, epidemic against racism, poverty, illiteracy, epidemic

diseasesdiseases……

So the globalized world of sport needs a global So the globalized world of sport needs a global language and requires well-educated young language and requires well-educated young journalists to promote values of peace, fair play and journalists to promote values of peace, fair play and equality.equality.It should be believed that sport is not the ground of It should be believed that sport is not the ground of political tensionpolitical tension..

I am very proud that as a representative of female sport journalists, I was the spokesperson over there and now here. There are a considerable number of women working in Iranian sports press and doing sports at both the domestic and international level. It’s also a big pleasure that Muslim women’s participation in international events such as the Olympics and world championships is increasing every year, so for the first time in the history of Iranian sports, women from my country gained qualification to Olympic Taekwondo and canoe, while we previously depended on wild cards; so I wish such advancements continues in future.

On behalf of the Executive Committee of Iran Sport Journalist Association, I appreciate AIPS special care about our Association activities.

As you all know, the Iranian NSJA is the third Asian country with the largest number of AIPS cards and around 800 active members in local sports media that amongst them are a considerable number of

female sport journalists .The Association of Iran recently has reached agreements with some universities and colleges to teach young sport journalist at both graduate and masters levels.

Additionally, our Association is collaborating with the ASPU and the Organizing Committee of the 2th Islamic Solidarity Games 2009, is going to organize the 1st Asian Young Sports Journalists Seminar in

Tehran in November 2008 .