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CNN Live Saturday
Interview With Hassan Alizadeh, Amir Ahmadi
Aired December 14, 2002 - 17:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Talk about incredible; two Iranian students are in the midst of a remarkable journey, bicycling around the world to promote peace. Hassan Alizadeh and Amir Ahmadi are here in Atlanta on their 40-nation bike tour. And we invited them out of the cold to talk about their mission. And Hassan will be speaking on behalf of both of you gentlemen, you and Amir, right now.
First, I have to ask you right off the bat, how are you feeling after journeying all around the world and then across the United States already?
HASSAN ALIZADEH, IRANIAN CYCLIST: It's so nice.
WHITFIELD: Yeah?
ALIZADEH: Yeah. And we are having a good experience, especially in the U.S. And we love all people in all of the world. And thank you for your time to promote our message from here. And I wish for -- and we wish for -- all you, and all Americans, a Merry Christmas and a very good New Year.
WHITFIELD: Oh, thank you very much.
Let me ask you right off the bat. You're traveling literally on your bikes, 24-speed bikes.
ALIZADEH: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: But of course, when you go across seas you're flying.
ALIZADEH: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: And now, you had to have prepared for this journey in some way. Were you all serious bikers from the start?
ALIZADEH: Yeah. We are members of the cycling club in Iran. And we talked about peace and how we can do that for world peace, and we just thought bicycles. We do that by bicycles. And we are very proud of that. We love all people and we are very proud that.
We are carrying peace and friendship with us from Iranian people to all over the world, and all nations. And the Iranian people are supporting us in this message and they're sharing in this message.
WHITFIELD: It's nice to get that support, isn't it?
ALIZADEH: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: You're doing it to promote peace, but do people know you when you, you know are traversing across Pakistan or you're crossing into India, do they know exactly what you're doing? You said you're holding a sign. What does your sign say?
ALIZADEH: It is saying -- a little Iranian flag. We carry it. And the other flag is -- that is written, "Around the world for peace". And when we arrive somewhere, the people surrounding us, they are asking about our mission. And everybody say that we need this message. And we are very proud of what you are doing.
WHITFIELD: You've received only a positive reaction?
ALIZADEH: Yeah, yeah.
WHITFIELD: Everywhere you've been so far?
ALIZADEH: That was very, very nice experience because we find out that all the people are the same, and they think the same, and the same way. And they love peace and friendship. And they love to have good relationships between each other.
WHITFIELD: I guess there are a lot of ways to promote peace. You all decided on the biking since it was something that you do. Why though? Why biking to promote peace?
ALIZADEH: Because it's what we have, just bicycles. And we encourage the people do something about the peace, but in their own way and what they can do. For example, artists, actors or students and we encourage them We talk to people to promote peace. And to, you know, try it because we need that.
WHITFIELD: All right, from Atlanta, it's on to Alabama, and then eventually Texas, correct?
ALIZADEH: Yeah, we are going to Texas, to South America, then we will fly across the ocean to Australia, North Africa and from Europe to Iran. We have two more years.
WHITFIELD: Incredible. Wow! Incredible. All right, well thanks very much and best of luck on your journey.
ALIZADEH: Thank you so much.
WHITFIELD: And safe travels -- and hopefully you get a little rest before you start your next leg on to Alabama.
ALIZADEH: Thank you so much.
WHITFIELD: Hassan Alizadeh and Amir Ahmadi, thank you very much. Good luck to you both.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 14, 2002 - 17:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Talk about incredible; two Iranian students are in the midst of a remarkable journey, bicycling around the world to promote peace. Hassan Alizadeh and Amir Ahmadi are here in Atlanta on their 40-nation bike tour. And we invited them out of the cold to talk about their mission. And Hassan will be speaking on behalf of both of you gentlemen, you and Amir, right now.
First, I have to ask you right off the bat, how are you feeling after journeying all around the world and then across the United States already?
HASSAN ALIZADEH, IRANIAN CYCLIST: It's so nice.
WHITFIELD: Yeah?
ALIZADEH: Yeah. And we are having a good experience, especially in the U.S. And we love all people in all of the world. And thank you for your time to promote our message from here. And I wish for -- and we wish for -- all you, and all Americans, a Merry Christmas and a very good New Year.
WHITFIELD: Oh, thank you very much.
Let me ask you right off the bat. You're traveling literally on your bikes, 24-speed bikes.
ALIZADEH: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: But of course, when you go across seas you're flying.
ALIZADEH: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: And now, you had to have prepared for this journey in some way. Were you all serious bikers from the start?
ALIZADEH: Yeah. We are members of the cycling club in Iran. And we talked about peace and how we can do that for world peace, and we just thought bicycles. We do that by bicycles. And we are very proud of that. We love all people and we are very proud that.
We are carrying peace and friendship with us from Iranian people to all over the world, and all nations. And the Iranian people are supporting us in this message and they're sharing in this message.
WHITFIELD: It's nice to get that support, isn't it?
ALIZADEH: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: You're doing it to promote peace, but do people know you when you, you know are traversing across Pakistan or you're crossing into India, do they know exactly what you're doing? You said you're holding a sign. What does your sign say?
ALIZADEH: It is saying -- a little Iranian flag. We carry it. And the other flag is -- that is written, "Around the world for peace". And when we arrive somewhere, the people surrounding us, they are asking about our mission. And everybody say that we need this message. And we are very proud of what you are doing.
WHITFIELD: You've received only a positive reaction?
ALIZADEH: Yeah, yeah.
WHITFIELD: Everywhere you've been so far?
ALIZADEH: That was very, very nice experience because we find out that all the people are the same, and they think the same, and the same way. And they love peace and friendship. And they love to have good relationships between each other.
WHITFIELD: I guess there are a lot of ways to promote peace. You all decided on the biking since it was something that you do. Why though? Why biking to promote peace?
ALIZADEH: Because it's what we have, just bicycles. And we encourage the people do something about the peace, but in their own way and what they can do. For example, artists, actors or students and we encourage them We talk to people to promote peace. And to, you know, try it because we need that.
WHITFIELD: All right, from Atlanta, it's on to Alabama, and then eventually Texas, correct?
ALIZADEH: Yeah, we are going to Texas, to South America, then we will fly across the ocean to Australia, North Africa and from Europe to Iran. We have two more years.
WHITFIELD: Incredible. Wow! Incredible. All right, well thanks very much and best of luck on your journey.
ALIZADEH: Thank you so much.
WHITFIELD: And safe travels -- and hopefully you get a little rest before you start your next leg on to Alabama.
ALIZADEH: Thank you so much.
WHITFIELD: Hassan Alizadeh and Amir Ahmadi, thank you very much. Good luck to you both.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
