"This is not a prize just for me, this prize is for all Iranian dissidents, this prize is for all Iranian women, Iranian students, and the whole movement for Human Rights and Democracy" said a shocked Shirin Ebadi, after it was announced by Norway Nobel Peace prize committee that she is the winner of 2003 globally recognized award. Competing with Pope John Paul II, Vaclav Havel, and 162 other fine nominees the committee decided on naming Dr. Shirin Ebadi as this year's laureate for Peace. It was early morning in Portland; I could not stay in bed anymore with anxiety that I had not felt for long. Turning on my computer and here she was in the YAHOO's headline; "The Iranian woman wins the Nobel Peace prize." Tears in my eyes I did not hesitate to wake up every body with the news and dance with Persian music coming out of the Internet broadcast of a Radio Free-Europe station out of Prague.

"As a lawyer, judge, lecturer, writer and activist, she has spoken out clearly and strongly in her country, Iran, and far beyond its borders. She has stood up as a sound professional, a courageous person, and has never heeded the threats to her own safety." reads the Nobel committee citation. Indeed Shirin has been imprisoned only for defending Iranian students in court after the infamous 1999 uprising at Tehran University. Once the first Iranian female judge, she was demoted to a clerk position after the Islamic Revolution, which denies women the right and capability to be a judge. She has used all venues possible including Shari'a law to fight injustices in all walks of Iranian life. She has defended numerous dissidents and reformers in the past 24 years of Islamic theocracy in cases that absolutely no one would dare to step forward. She has resisted life threats, imprisonments and even official refusal to renew her bar license.

The Vatican, Lech Waleca and probably some other believers of the Catholicism are bitter about this preference over the Pope by the committee. I agree with them that this was probably the last chance for the Pope to be honored as a prophet of Peace; although I hope that the pundit lives longer and gives us a chance to thank him for all his efforts and support of Peace in the world. But allow me to say that the selection of Ebadi is not only the recognition of the past, but also a boost for the future. In a country where forces of the fundamentalism have pushed back the reformists and struggle is at an impasse, her recognition is a huge victory for democracy and the reform movement in Iran. In the meantime it shows how the attitude of the US administration differs from the world body of conscience. Neo-conservatives in our administration are proposing plans including military intervention in support of bringing back the monarchy headed by son of the former shah of Iran. On the contrary, the Peace Prize committee has clearly positioned himself with the vibrant internal movement that struggles for advancement of Human Rights in Iran and in effect is transforming the extreme theocratic system to a secular and free society. This will indeed have tremendous effect on the Islamic world by giving momentum to liberal religious forces that were silenced in the past few decades by fundamentalists. All forces of reason in the Middle East have supported and welcomed this selection despite objections by extremists, who cannot accept women as an equal partner in their struggle for peace and justice, the same way they could not accept her as a judge two decades ago.

As a person from the region and familiar with many aspects of Middle Eastern life I can assure you that this hand of peace will be shaken strongly. Peace Nobel Committee righteously emphasizes on the fact that supporting voices of civility, non-violence and democracy is crucial, especially in a region that is thorn with violence.

Some conspiracy theorists have argued that Nobel Peace Prize is indeed a political tool used by western ideologues and politicians. Obviously there is not much of debate on that and why should be? the NPP from the inception was supposed to be used to advance and support the cause of Peace in the world and what can be more political than peace and advocacy of human rights? as long as it is used in the right direction, which history shows most often have been, then all power to it. Just looking at the following list of women who have been awarded the prize in the past is a practical testimony that the Nobel peace prize when awarded to NGOs was used appropriately; Jane Adams 1931- International President Women's International League for Peace and Freedom(WILPF), Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan 1976 - Founders of the Northern Ireland Peace Movement (later renamed Community of Peace People), Mother Teresa 1979- Leader of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, Aung San Suu Kyi 1991 - Burmese Human rights advocate and opposition leader, Rigoberta Menchu Tum 1992- Indigeneous rights campaigner from Guatemala, Jody Williams 1997- for work for the banning and clearing of anti-personnel mines.

The news of Shirin's ("sweet" in Persian) recognition is indeed the sweetest news that Iranians have heard for almost two decades. Grass roots preparations for Ebadi's next Tuesday's welcoming ceremony are underway in Tehran, when she flies back from Paris, which ironically promises to be a reminder of Ayatollah Khomeini's Air France flight of 1979.

Viva to Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi and all Iranian and Muslim women.

*Goudarz Eghtedari is a Human Rights and Peace activist, a community organizer, a writer, a commentator, and a radio producer with KBOO 90.7 fm (www.voicesofthemiddleeast.com). Goudarz has served on the boards of the Oregon Peace Institute and the Iranian Human Rights Group and is a guest lecturer at Portland State University, where he is a Ph.D. Candidate of Systems Science.