By the time Alex Anvari was 9 years old, he spoke 3 languages: English, French and Farsi.
His parents had met at the University of Illinois when his father was a Ph.D. candidate from the Middle East; his mother was a Midwestern undergrad.
Alex’s father’s job in academia brought the family to his native Iran. Alex played soccer in the streets, learning the language and culture of his new country.
His classmates at Tehran International School came from 35 countries. “We were just like the UN,” Alex says.
Alex Anvari (right), in jUNe Day soccer action.
So it was natural, when he moved to Westport in 1992 — he worked in “the Oracle economy” — to play in the jUNe Day soccer game pitting local players against UN guests. Soon, Alex was running the event.
He made occasional trips back to Iran, where family members still lived. While Americans have long been fascinated by the country — its fascinating history, the larger-than-life stories of the shah, its longtime role with Israel as a “policeman of the Gulf” — he’s had an up-front-and-personal view of it.
So he’s excited to be moderating an event — sponsored by the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut — a week before UN Day.
Set for Town Hall (Wednesday, October 17, 12 p.m.), it’s a conversation with Dina Esfandiary, international security fellow at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
They’ll talk about Middle East geopolitics, the role of the UN regarding Iran’s nuclear deal, US foreign policy, and business strategy after American sanctions.
“06880”‘s tagline is “Where Westport meets the world.” Alex Anvari is one Westporter who has done that all his life.
