"My dedication and effort to achieve excellence and to help those around me excel have been inspired by my Bahá'í faith."

Born in Teherán, Iran, Fariba Heydari came to Arequipa in 1981 with her parents and brothers. Not knowing Spanish and unable to return to Iran for religious reasons, she was hired by a textile company because of her knowledge of English. She soon began to train as a designer. "I loved creating new designs and models," she confides. "It seemed like a dream that a passion of mine could become my life's work.

"In 2003, I launched my first collection of hand-loomed shawls, working in conjunction with weavers in Cuzco, ...

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