Dear Concordia College community:

Thank you for all the support you gave my family and me during the months I spent earlier this year in Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran. When I was there, and my parents told me about some of the steps the Concordia community was taking, I gained more strength and hope.

Since my release in May, I have learned more about these efforts, including the selling and wearing of yellow ribbons marked with "Free Roxana," the tying of yellow ribbons around trees during Commencement weekend, interviews with the media and participating in a community vigil. I was also very moved by the warm welcome my parents and I had at the Fargo airport, where we were greeted by many Cobbers, including a band of Concordia students and faculty.

To realize that both Cobbers who knew me and those who had never heard of me were showing this support made me even more honored than before to be part of the Concordia family.

I imagine there may have been other efforts made I have not yet become aware of, and I wish I could thank everyone for everything they did. Please accept my deepest gratitude for doing so much to raise awareness about my case and for keeping my story alive.  Without such support, it is very likely that I would still be in prison today, like the many other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who remain behind bars in Iran and elsewhere in the world.

Sincerely,
Roxana Saberi '97