Commemoration Ceremony for Dr. Hormoz Hikmat, Writer, Researcher, and Political Activist, Held at Georgetown University

The commemoration ceremony for Dr. Hormoz Hikmat, a writer, researcher, and political activist, was held on Sunday at Georgetown University. Prominent political and literary figures, including Mahnaz Afkhami, Dr. Abbas Milani, Ladan Boroumand, and Azar Nafisi, attended and spoke at the event. Mahnaz Afkhami regarded Dr. Hikmat's most significant achievement as connecting various political movements. Ladan Boroumand shared memories of Dr. Hikmat and highlighted some of his key political lines, stating that 'the essence of a government outweighs its form, and one should focus on its inner meaning rather than its appearance.' Dr. Abbas Milani described Dr. Hikmat as a rarity of his time, saying, 'He shunned extremism and always viewed the world from others' perspectives. He listened patiently and expressed his views gently. Although his path changed, his patriotism and quest for justice remained constant.' Azar Nafisi remarked, 'He lived life to the fullest and was solely in search of justice and truth. This was not a political viewpoint but rather his philosophy of life. Whenever I sat down to talk with him, we became like two children, excitedly discussing every writer or topic.' Mahtab Hikmat, Dr. Hikmat's sister, read a message from Prince Reza Pahlavi regarding Dr. Hikmat and spoke about his influence in the fields of Iranian studies and literature. Dr. Hikmat entered Tehran University in 1953 and received his bachelor's degree in political science. He then went to the United States and obtained his doctorate in international relations from Columbia University. He was a writer and researcher who made significant contributions to Iranian studies and politics. In 1967, he founded the Iranian Studies Association in the United States and taught at the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Tehran University from 1976 to 1981. After immigrating to the United States, he served as the editor of the quarterly 'Iran Nameh' for three decades. He passed away on July 2, 2020.