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Nazanin Afshin-Jam is an Iranian-Canadian human rights activist, former beauty queen, and diplomat, born in Tehran in 1979. Her family's experiences during the Islamic Revolution, including her father's arrest and torture, profoundly shaped her perspective on freedom and human rights. After fleeing Iran with her family and settling in Canada, Afshin-Jam pursued higher education, majoring in international relations and political science, and later earning a Master’s degree in diplomacy. She gained international recognition after being crowned Miss Canada in 2003 and placing second in the Miss World competition, which she used as a platform to advocate for human rights issues.


"I am Canadian, but I will never lose my Persian heritage. I learned about Iran from my parents’ beautiful stories about our rich culture and contributions to civilization." 

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