Soraya Serajeddini
Encyclopedia
Soraya Serajeddini was a Kurdish
-Iranian human rights activist. She was born in Tehran
to a respected family of Naqshbandi
Sufis. Her family fled Iran in 1980 and sought refuge in Sulaimaniya and Baghdad
for two years, and then moved to the United States in 1982. She attended San Francisco State University
and Northeastern University
, and received her BS degree in Electrical Engineering in 1987.
She joined the Kurdish National Congress (KNC) in 1991 and was instrumental in publicizing Kurdish issues in the United States. Her last post was the Executive Vice President of the Kurdish National Congress of North America.
She organized a conference on the independence of Kurdistan in November 2005 in Iraqi Kurdistan
. In March 2005, She and her husband (Thomas Ver Ploeg) were elected to the board of directors of KNC. In January 2006, She chaired the committee on Democracy and Freedom for All Iranians and Kurdish Human & National Rights and through her efforts the first conference of the committee was held in the US Senate building. She was also instrumental in the success of the conference on Syrian Kurdish Human and National Rights held in March 2006 in the US Senate building.
She died due to an asthma
attack on July 24, 2006 in Millersville, Maryland
. She is survived by her husband Tom Ver Ploeg and two children, Aveen and Daryan.
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
-Iranian human rights activist. She was born in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
to a respected family of Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi is one of the major Sufi spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a "Potent" order.The Naqshbandi order is over 1,300 years old, and is active today...
Sufis. Her family fled Iran in 1980 and sought refuge in Sulaimaniya and Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
for two years, and then moved to the United States in 1982. She attended San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
and Northeastern University
Northeastern University, Boston
Northeastern University , is a private, secular, coeducational research university in Boston, Massachusetts. Northeastern has eight colleges and offers undergraduate majors in 65 departments...
, and received her BS degree in Electrical Engineering in 1987.
She joined the Kurdish National Congress (KNC) in 1991 and was instrumental in publicizing Kurdish issues in the United States. Her last post was the Executive Vice President of the Kurdish National Congress of North America.
She organized a conference on the independence of Kurdistan in November 2005 in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
. In March 2005, She and her husband (Thomas Ver Ploeg) were elected to the board of directors of KNC. In January 2006, She chaired the committee on Democracy and Freedom for All Iranians and Kurdish Human & National Rights and through her efforts the first conference of the committee was held in the US Senate building. She was also instrumental in the success of the conference on Syrian Kurdish Human and National Rights held in March 2006 in the US Senate building.
She died due to an asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
attack on July 24, 2006 in Millersville, Maryland
Millersville, Maryland
Millersville is an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States.-Geography:Millersville is located at .-History:...
. She is survived by her husband Tom Ver Ploeg and two children, Aveen and Daryan.