Hi Dr. Bollinger
I just wanted to thank you for inviting the president of Islamic Republic of Iran to your campus. With this gesture you showed that your University is open to all topics and discussion, some thing that is missing from 99% of other academic institution world wide.
As a person who grew up in an academic environment in Iran (my mother was a professor in Tehran), I see the problems that they have and how nothing is done to help professors and students and the only possible solution is to use a guidance of people in your caliber.
Reality is that people in Iran lack the modern information to built productive environments for others to grow in different fields, and that is not limited to just Universities but all learning institutes, including elementry schools and private programs.
You and your staff have been officially invited to Iran, by the president. I’m sure any positive reaction from you will cause many criticisms and may have a negative effect for you as the president of Columbia University. However this is a golden opportunity to create a healthy communication with a society that is isolated from rest of the world. Like most field sin Iran the academic field is hungry for improvement and upgrades and you can help them,so please consider the invitation.
Another thing, I understand why you would express your personal feelings to the Iranian president and I think it is your right to do so, I only hope that the outcome of it doesn’t cause this golden opportunity to go to waste. At the end of the day we are all responsible for our actions and words.
Thank you for your time
