Expo: Iranian women's resistance in historical perspective

In this exhibition, the Resistance Museum shows how the slogan Woman, Life, Freedom is much more than a cry on protest signs. It is filled with personal stories, historical objects, photographs, video and other documents that together paint a picture of Iranian women who have resisted oppression and inequality for generations.

The itinerary begins with the recent women's protest that became globally visible following the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini in September 2022. You'll see how women and other Iranians are rebelling against mandatory veil laws and broader political repression. Images of demonstrations are juxtaposed with stories of everyday, less visible forms of resistance. As a result, you immediately sense that resistance takes place not only in the streets, but also in everyday life.

At the same time, the museum draws the line far back in time. The exhibition places the current movement in a longer tradition of Iranian women's resistance dating back to the mid-nineteenth century. Using historical documents and archival material, it reveals that women in Iran have been fighting for rights and freedoms for more than a century. That older struggle and the protests of 2022 and beyond are juxtaposed throughout, so you can see the connections between then and now.

At the same time, the museum draws the line far back in time.

The exhibition is on temporary display at the Resistance Museum. Through collaborations with, among others, the Movies that Matter Festival and the international network IRWMM, the exhibition will receive additional attention. Thus, the story of the Iranian women's struggle becomes not only museum material, but also part of a broader, topical discussion about women's rights, state violence and civic courage in and outside the Netherlands.