‘An opportunity for us to grieve’: Victims of Iran plane crash honoured at SMU vigil

More than 100 people gathered at a Halifax university on Friday to remember two bright young women who were among the 176 killed in a plane crash near Iran’s capital, Tehran, early Wednesday morning.

Maryam Malek and Fatemeh Mahmoodi were described by attendees as bright and full of potential and passion.

Robert Summerby-Murray, president of SMU, opened the vigil by saying that “every person lost on Wednesday morning had hopes and dreams for the future.”

Malek and Mahmoodi were no different.

Both of them were masters of financial management students at Saint Mary’s University (SMU) and were fondly remembered by fellow students and faculty.

Many of the attendees last saw Malek and Mahmoodi after their final exam on Dec. 19.

Varun Agrawal, a master of finance student,  described the vigil as “an opportunity for us to grieve, but not forget.”

“We have lots of memories with them,” said Agrawal.

“They were cheerful, we always saw smiles on their face and they were very optimistic they would make a future in Canada. They were used to planning to stay here in Canada. They wanted to make a future in Canada.”

1:56 Iranian community holds vigil in Halifax

Attendees stifled tears as speakers, including Halifax MP Andy Fillmore, spoke.

J. Colin Dodds, president of the school’s finance department, encouraged mourners to embrace their sadness as a group when he spoke to the crowd.

“You have your triumphs — anybody has triumphs — but you have your tragedies,” Dodds said. “This is a tragedy.”

“People want to come together, they want to spend time together. Not even perhaps even to talk but just to share and offer support where they can and remember.

“It is time for grieving.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It is time for grieving."

The ceremony at SMU was the second of what will likely be many public and private ceremonies across the province to honour those who were killed aboard Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.

Others on board the plane with a Nova Scotia connection were Masoumeh Ghavi, an engineering student at Dalhousie University, and her sister, Mandieh Ghavi; and Dr. Sharieh Faghihi, a dentist who worked in Halifax for several years.

The first vigil was held at the Al-Rasoul Islamic Society in Bedford, N.S., on Thursday.

Attendees included politicians as well as many members of the Iranian community in Halifax.

“These people, they are so dear and close to us, and it is really heartbreaking for the community,” said the organizer of that vigil, Hossein Mousavi, on Thursday.

Another ceremony is planned for Saturday from 2:30 p.m., to 4:30 p.m., at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium at Dalhousie University.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

— With files from Aya Al-Hakim and Alicia Draus