About this Event
When Iranian authorities arrested Morad Tahbaz in January 2018, they thought they were capturing a spy. They were wrong. Tahbaz was a conservationist—and they had handed him a new wilderness in which to survive.
Morad's story offers a rare window into contemporary Iran. Wrongfully imprisoned for nearly six years after being falsely accused of espionage while conducting wildlife conservation work, he experienced firsthand the realities of Evin Pr*son, the fragility of civil society, and the human cost of hostage diplomacy. Since his release in September 2023, he has become a thoughtful voice on Iran, wrongful detention, conservation, and the role of creativity in sustaining hope under extraordinary circumstances.
While Green Parrots recounts Morad's years in Pr*son, it is ultimately a story about resilience. Throughout his imprisonment, Morad turned to art as a means of survival, creating drawings, sculptures, and he designed Persian carpets inspired by Iran's wildlife and artistic traditions. Today, one of his sculptures is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underscoring the enduring connection between his creative work and the country that shaped it.
Event venue & nearby stays
Book Bar, 600 Markham Street, Toronto, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.