Seyedeh Khamsa Asbaghian, a doctoral candidate at the University of Tehran, embodies the title “An Iranian Girl, Shining on Earth and in the Sky.” Under 30, she has excelled in diverse fields, from aviation and sports to international affairs and groundbreaking research on soil pollution and its impact on human health. This research propelled her onto the global stage, where she champions youth diplomacy and inspires young women worldwide.
A doctoral candidate in biology and biotechnology at the University of Tehran, she has been an honors student throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, achieving significant success in the academic realm, particularly on the international stage.
Seyedeh Khamsa Asbaghian explains how she entered the international arena:
Beginning of International Activities
“In 2019, when I defended my master’s thesis at the University of Tehran, my research on soil pollution and its connection to medical science, focusing on how we can shift our perspective to achieve healthier nutrition, was recognized as the best thesis in the country. During my research, I encountered alarming news about the rising incidence of cancer in our country.
My professor, Professor Malakooti, a leading figure in Iranian soil science, agreed with my proposal to bridge the gap between food security, medicine, and agriculture. Our work centered on soil pollution, heavy metals, and specifically cadmium. By formulating fertilizers and applying them to our country’s soils, we achieved remarkable results in reducing pollutant concentrations. This is crucial because if cadmium enters the human food chain, it can lead to dangerous long-term health problems.
International Recognition and Collaboration
An international conference titled “Young Scientists,” sponsored by the University of Tehran and prestigious institutions like UNESCO, provided me with the honor of presenting our research findings and being recognized as a deserving researcher. Following this, my international presence grew.
I participated in the Youth Assembly of 8 Islamic countries hosted by Bangladesh, where 10 young people from Iran joined the Islamic Republic of Iran’s delegation to exchange views with youth from other Islamic nations on various economic, social, and entrepreneurial issues. I served as the secretary of the environmental working group in that assembly and am now privileged to maintain contact with youth from these countries to discuss youth-related issues.
The Necessity of Focusing on the Presence of Youth in Various Arenas
This active young woman in the international arena, emphasizing the presence of youth in various fields, stated: “Currently, given that the Supreme Leader uses the keyword ‘youth’ in his speeches, attention to the issue of youth in our country has become important. However, their viewpoints on various issues, especially in the area of governance in the country, should be considered.
Fortunately, good steps have been taken in this regard, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. The fact that youth are trusted in various fields and used in various sectors is a very noteworthy issue.”
Increasing Success in the International Arena
Asbaghian considered one of her honors to be representing Iran for four consecutive years at the United Nations, saying: “I am honored to be the first Iranian woman to be selected as Iran’s representative to the United Nations Youth Assembly for four consecutive years.
This is a historic honor. Due to the international connections I have had over the past four years and my connections with key people in various positions, given that my specialty is focused on the environment and food security, I am currently the youngest member of the Global Soil Health and Food Security Working Group of the Food and Agriculture Organization. These connections have helped me achieve greater success in securing seats for our country.
In recent years, various investments have been made in youth in many countries. Given this, achieving these international seats is of great importance. Achieving these seats in the international arena can be very influential in youth diplomacy. In fact, people need important factors to be present in the UN Youth Assembly, and I am honored to have held this title on behalf of our dear country for four years.
Also, in 2023, I was selected as a key member of the World Food Assembly, which is of great importance given the growing population and management of land resources in the field of food security, and we must be able to ensure the food security of the growing population, so this seat is a valuable position for the selected individual who has the right to vote on behalf of his country.”
Hazrat Zahra, the Best Model for Reaching the Peaks of Success
In response to the question of how she can plan to be active in flying and taekwondo alongside her academic and international activities, Asbaghian said: “In response to this question, I refer to the words of the Supreme Leader on the birthday of Hazrat Zahra (sa), who said that the personality of Hazrat Zahra (sa) is the third model of women.
In his speech, he mentions that Hazrat Zahra (sa) is one of the wonders of creation because she has a multi-faceted personality. If we, as the daughters and women of our country, try to take this great lady as our role model, we must try to develop the various dimensions of our existence and our talents.”
The Role of Parents in Children’s Success
This successful Iranian young woman believes that a person’s initial personality and attitude are formed in the family, and the family is influential in shaping a person’s belief system and thoughts: “I grew up in a religious family where the impact of children was very important. My parents’ educational method has always been to raise influential children and for their children not to be indifferent to issues and to be able to institutionalize a value in society.
From childhood, I used to go to official meetings with my father to get acquainted with the spaces and decision-making in social environments. How profound and influential this approach was that from the beginning my parents wanted this issue to be formed in me, to have a problem-solving perspective on various issues.
My father was a completely socially aware personality who was up-to-date on current issues, and my mother also established a powerful personality in us. In our family, in addition to the way my parents behaved with their children, they tried to guide us on the right path without putting pressure on our children and imposing their own opinions on them.
This completely intimate and friendly atmosphere, based on Islamic values, has been influential in shaping my personality, and I owe many of the successes I have achieved in various fields to the efforts of my dear parents.”
From: irna