‘These are losses to the Canadian family’: Mourners gather to remember students who died in Iran crash – Ottawa Citizen

Students and faculty gather at the University of Ottawa to memorialize four Ottawa students who died in the Tehran plane crash. Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia

The students who died this week in a plane crash near Tehran were poised to make their marks in the world of science, but they were also beloved friends and valued colleagues, said speakers at a memorial on Friday.

The four Ottawa students who perished in Wednesdays crash included University of Ottawa students Alma Oladi, a PhD student in mathematics with a specialty in genomics statistics, Saeed Kashani, a PhD student in chemistry, and Mehraban Badiei, a first-year student in health sciences, plus Fareed Arasteh, a Carleton University PhD student in molecular genetics who was married in Tehran only days before he boarded the ill-fateful flight.

Students and faculty members crowded the agora, a meeting place at the University of Ottawa, for a memorial that paid tearful tribute to the achievements and aspirations of the students as well as the roles they played in making their campuses more vibrant places. They spoke in English, French and Farsi.

As images of crash victims from across Canada flashed across a screen, some students broke into sobs and hugged each other. However, Carleton professor Askhan Golshani, who had been Arastehs academic advisor, urged the mourners to celebrate the lives of those who had been lost. All of these victims have made an impact, he said.

Students and faculty gathered at the University of Ottawa as the Iranian Student Association and Nowruz Student Association held a non-religious memorial ceremony to honour the three students who died in the tragic crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in Tehran this week.Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia

All 176 passengers and crew members were killed when Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 crashed shortly after taking off from the Tehran airport early Wednesday. Of those, 57 were Canadians, Foreign Affairs Minister Franois-Philippe Champagne said Friday, revising downward an earlier figure of 63 Canadians. Eight of the victims were Ottawa residents.

More than 50 of the crash victims were students at Canadian universities, University of Ottawa president Jacques Frmont told the memorial. He saluted the students commitment to making the world a better place.

Our hearts break for their families, their loved ones and their friends. We have come here today to mourn with you and offer our strength and our love at this terrible time, Frmont said. May their memories be blessed.

Badiei has only been at the University of Ottawa for a semester, but had already made an impact as a generous young woman who aspired to help those in need, said Lucie Thibault, the universitys dean of health sciences. Soon after arriving, Badiei joined a group supporting people with multiple sclerosis.

Mourners listen to speakers at a memorial for the four Ottawa university students who died in a plane crash in Iran on Wednesday.Wayne Cuddington / jpg

Kashani was determined to use his knowledge as a chemist to produce green products for a safer world. Friends recalled a young man who had been passionate about music and fitness. He had the innocence of a kid in his heart, one friend said.

Even though Kashani didnt care for Ottawas cold winters and muggy summers, after three years in the city he told friends he was finally ready to try skating on the Rideau Canal after returning from the winter break.

He was more than a coworker. He was a brother, one speaker said.

He always pushed people to live their lives to the fullest, another said. Lets learn from him. Lets be kind to one another. Life is unpredictable.

Students and faculty gathered at the University of Ottawa as the Iranian Student Association and Nowruz Student Association held a non-religious memorial ceremony to honour the three students who died in the tragic crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in Tehran this week.Wayne Cuddington / Postmedia

In an interview following the memorial, Golshani said international students who come to Canada are valuable in two ways. Those who who return to their countries become ambassadors for Canada, while those who chose to remain make significant contributions to research here. He estimates there are at least 20 faculty members of Iranian origin at Carleton.

Golshani recalls speaking to Arasteh about getting a PhD for the first time three years ago. It was something he really had to do, Golshani said.

It took Arasteh two years to get permission to join Golshanis lab. From the moment he came to Canada, he was hard at work, Golshani said.

Speaking at the memorial, Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier said young lives of promise and hope had been lost in the crash.

This is not a distant tragedy. These are losses to the Canadian family.

Full coverage of the Tehran plane crash

ALSO IN THE NEWS

Top job for new Sens CEO: Filling those empty seats

OC Transpo crash victims draw strength from the bus gang

Architects go through design gauntlet in planning new British High Commission at Earnscliffe property

Read more from the original source:
'These are losses to the Canadian family': Mourners gather to remember students who died in Iran crash - Ottawa Citizen