'My greatest wish? That everyone counts'

Mehrzad Joussefi is 16 years old. Born in the Netherlands, as a child of parents who had to flee. At the official opening of the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek on July 5, he showed himself to be an inspired speaker about freedom and peace. A short portrait in questions and answers.

What are your backgrounds? What do you do?
"My mother is from East Germany and my father from Iran. They both had to leave their homes because of oppression, war and violence."
"Now I am at school (VWO 5), a member of the Vteam (the youth organization of vfonds) and a reporter at ChildPress with an international press card."

Have you or your family experienced war violence?
"Yes, my father lived through eight years of bloody war between Iran and Iraq, which eventually forced him to flee. My mother did not experience war, but had to flee the GDR as a 4-year-old child. She is half German and half Iranian."

How do you feel about war and freedom?
"War begins when reason ceases. When a naive mass blindly follows a belligerent leader. Freedom comes through peaceful dialogue, with respect for others' views and interests. We enjoy freedom now because many people fought or died for it."

What is your greatest personal wish for the future?
"That is to study political science and public administration and contribute to a social and green direction through participation in politics.

And your greatest wish for the future, generally?
"That people are no longer judged by origin, but their future. That everyone counts, participates and participates.
That we join hands, instead of polarizing.
Finally, also that the future (read young people) as Jan Terlouw said, gets a place at the table, because we have to entrust the future to the young."