Bringing hope to young people in Iran
“People are hopeless; they don’t know what to do. They finish school but they can’t get jobs; they can’t live their lives – many people try to commit suicide. Some try to get out of Iran but that can be even harder, having to start a new life somewhere else. We try to encourage people to hold onto faith, and to the hope that God will help Iran.”
Ilya, one of the young presenters of Generation of Hope, here describes the purpose of the SAT-7 PARS youth program as it returns this autumn for a second season. The 16-year-old, who is from Iran but now lives in the UK, joined the show not long before the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
It was an extremely anxious time for all Iranians, including those living outside the country, and during the conflict, the live weekly program shifted its tone from the usual upbeat style to a more sombre prayerful mood, giving people space to express how they were feeling.
Now, Generation of Hope is back on screen after the summer break, and is aiming to bring hope and comfort to young viewers after the recent turmoil.
Generation of Hope is aimed at teenagers and young adults in Iran, and also in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, covering relevant topics to young viewers such as identity issues, mental health, self-harm, friendship and competition. The programme offers a mixture of serious discussion with light-relief segments and games. It is filmed between SAT-7 PARS’ London studio and a small studio space in Türkiye, where two other Iranian hosts, Hanieh and Nina, are based.
FINDING FAITH
Ilya was invited to audition as a presenter by a SAT-7 PARS’ producer, who spotted his potential during a church Christmas production.
Hosting Generation of Hope is giving Ilya the opportunity to share the faith in Christ he has found since leaving Iran ten years ago. Ilya’s mother had come to faith in Iran, resulting in persecution from their very religious family. After they left, she was able to pursue her faith more freely and Ilya was struck by the transformation.
“I began to see incredible changes in my mother’s life through her relationship with God,” he said. “She no longer shouted, wasn’t angry or frustrated, and showed me much more love. Seeing her transformation inspired me and helped me realise that I had a Heavenly Father who was always with me.”
Life Outside Iran
Leaving Iran has meant big change for Ilya. While grateful for the freedom and opportunities of life in the UK, it is painful being away from his homeland and loved ones who are still there.
“It’s a hard feeling,” he said. “We pray for Iran all the time and would love to go back, but that’s not possible for us because of our Christianity and the persecution we would face.”
Hearing regularly about the struggles of his counterparts in Iran motivates Ilya in his ministry with SAT-7.
“People are very depressed because of the situation in Iran,” he said. “Through Generation of Hope, we are trying to make them smile, have fun, and know God more. We try to inspire people to hear about Christ; to show people that Christianity is completely different to what they know.”
