Arsham Parsi is an Iranian Queer Human Rights activist who lives in exile in Canada. He is the founder and executive director of the Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR). Mr. Parsi has dedicated his life to the Iranian queer cause, and he works tirelessly in order to help his fellow queer friends, especially those who were forced to escape from Iran on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. He has been interviewed often by international major media outlets. In April 2008, his organization was awarded the Felipa de Souza Award by the New York-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). Two months later, Mr. Parsi’s work was recognized with the Pride Toronto Award for Excellence in Human Rights.