Art Campaign Shares Iranian Women’s Struggles, Urges Americans to Take Notice
Activist Hooman Khalili hopes to inspire Iranian women to resist abuse and terrorism through murals displayed on college campuses across the United States. The murals, he said, are meant to spark civil discourse especially among students and draw attention to the fight for freedom in Iran.
Conflicts such as those in Gaza and Ukraine have dominated the news coverage and because of the attention on those conflicts, they are gaining support.
“The other wars get ignored,” he added. “With these murals, I want Americans to have some sort of sympathy. I want there to be awareness for the women of Iran and what they’re dealing with so that change can come for them, too.”
READ: Exploring Questions Of Meaning, Ethics And Belief Through Japanese Anime
Khalili, an Iranian-American philanthropist, has dedicated his life and career to advocating for human rights in Iran and to promote peace between Persians and Jews through art including his “Woman Life Freedom” mural campaign.
Khalili began his movement in Israel, placing 18 murals in cities such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Eilat from January 2023 to October 2024. Each unique mural shares the message of resistance, unity and hope as Iranian women continue to struggle under an oppressive regime, Khalili said.
The State of Israel formally endorsed the movement on Feb. 13, as a “bridge between cultures” in its expansion to the United States.
“With these murals, I want the eyes of the world to at least go to the women of Iran,” Khalili said. “We’re giving a voice to the voiceless. I’m hoping to inspire the women of Iran to keep fighting.”
The title of Khalili’s campaign pays homage to the 2022 Iranian protest movement with the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” following the arrest and death of Mahsa Amini, who was targeted for failing to wear her hijab properly.
Street art became a powerful tool for Iranians to demand freedom and challenge repression. Graffiti and murals appeared across cities, depicting detained activists, slain protesters and symbols of resistance. Despite government efforts to erase the art, citizens — both artists and non-artists —continued to reclaim public spaces with new messages.
Prior to 1979, Iran was a modernizing society with growing cultural freedoms and women's rights. The 1979 Islamic Revolution, led by the Ayatollah Khomeini, replaced that with a theocratic regime that imposed Sharia law and reversed many of the country’s modern advances. In a swift and radical shift, Iran went from one of the region’s most progressive societies to one of its most repressive.
Khaliil brought his campaign to the United States with an “Eyes on Iran” emphasis and now has three murals stateside. He unveiled his most recent installation on June 5 at Rice University in Houston and will be displayed through the summer, campus officials said.
The mural is formed from over 14,000 mosaic tiles to honor two women: Amini, as mentioned before, and Shirel Haim-Pour, a 20-year-old Persian-Jewish soldier who died during the Oct. 7 attack. Khalili described these women as “Esthers of our time” because of their courage to stand up to their oppressors, much like Esther did in the Bible.
Khalili hopes to install 17 additional murals at American college campuses to encourage debates on free speech, human rights and the fight against antisemitism, he said.
“The bravery of these two women should inspire us to fight radicalism and pursue peace,” Moshe Vardi, professor of computer science at Rice University, said during the recent unveiling. “This is what the campus-protest movement should have been about. But this mural gives me hope.”
The mural also includes verses from Jeremiah 3:17 and Jeremiah 49:38, the only biblical passages that mention God placing his throne in Jerusalem and Elam, which is modern day Iran.
“Many Americans won’t preach about it but God has a very unique plan for the Iranians and Persians from a biblical standpoint,” Khalili said. “God said that he will have his throne in Elam, so I am emphasizing that in these murals which point to something bigger and greater.”
Iran has one of the fastest-growing Christian populations in the world, driven by an underground movement of ordinary Iranians fed up with decades of Islamic rule. They have turned to Christianity seeking hope and freedom outside the constraints of state-imposed religion. Despite government crackdowns, the underground church continues to grow.
Khalili has had trouble finding campuses “brave enough” in the U.S. to host since many universities, some being Christian, initially accepted then rejected the project for fear of backlash from opposing students, he said.
“The people at Rice are courageous for having the mural there, even if it is for a short while,” he said. “College officials have the opportunity to sit on the right side of history and stand with the women of Iran, but I guess we live in a time of massive fear.”
For more information on joining or donating to Khalili’s movement, visit his website hooman.tv.
Myrian Orea is a Religion Unplugged contributor based in Texas.