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On this occasion of Cyrus the Great Day – 2023

The address of Cyrus the Great to us and to the Middle East.

We are standing on the threshold of Cyrus the Great Day, the anniversary of the declaration of his eternal charter, addressed to us 2500 years ago. The charter was written during dark days, for which he wanted to bring light and his magnificent decree. Today once again, these words speak to us as we witness imprisonment, torture, and the endless killing of freedom seekers in our land and hostile and tragic events in the Middle East. Those words once again have a resounding meaning and remind us how the first charter of human rights was born.

Ten years ago, while Cyrus the Great’s Cylinder was shown in the United States for several months, Neil MacGregor, a famous historian and former Director of the British Museum, gave an interesting speech, calling Cyrus’ charter one of the greatest declarations of human ideals in history. In his remarks, Mr. MacGregor came to the intelligent conclusion that the charter can once again play an effective role, especially for the Middle East where religions have divided, because Cyrus’ charter is still the strongest and most effective voices in the core of all discussions to bring people from different religions together.

In the past few decades, the events that have happened to our homeland Iran as well as to other countries in the Middle East show that this view of Cyrus’ charter is just as important today. Therefore, the question arises whether now more than ever before is the time to honor the great Cyrus and his manifesto, and to distance ourselves from the leaders and people who have made religion a weapon for suppression, destruction, and war.

We at the Pasargad Heritage Foundation call on all Iranians around the world to celebrate Cyrus the Great Day and to salute the name and memory of a great man. As his peacemakers entered Babylon, many of his soldiers marched for friendship in Babylon, and he did not let anyone be intimidated in all the lands of Sumer and Akkad. He rescued the oppressed people from their helplessness, returned the displaced people to their homes, saved the slaves from poverty, and commanded that everyone should be free to choose their religion and place of residence.

Blessed is the day of Cyrus the Great (October 29th / 7th of Aban).

Sincerely,

Shokooh Mirzadegi

Pasargad Heritage Foundation

Our beautiful Iranian Nowruz: A cultural triumph over oppression

In general, it is understood that people of all countries cherish their cultural heritage and demonstrate the best of their culture and heritage to others. It is clear that the cultural values of any period of history are measured based on the existence of those known values as well as the preservation and remembrance of those values and heritage. There have been few cultures that have preserved and have been able to perpetually advance their cultural traditions well beyond their own borders and celebrate it with the rest of the people of the world.

One of these cultures is our “beautiful and secular Iranian culture”;

A culture that respects wisdom and praises kindness,

A culture that has no preference or religious, ethnic, racial, sexual and gender discrimination,

A culture that avoids violence and sadness and loves peace and happiness,

A culture with over thousands of New Year’s celebration which has now transcended across borders and countries around the globe with its beautiful and stunning rituals and ceremonies,

And a culture that even under the suppression of one of the most violent and tyrannical religious governments and its cruel practices, has not reduced its value and credibility; rather, it has shown its significance and pride.

This past year we have seen and experienced a confrontation between glorious and noble Iranian people and a tyrannical regime. The huge price we have paid has been further oppression, imprisonment, torture and death of freedom loving Iranian people.

On the eve of our beautiful Nowruz, we hear the same familiar call which has been uttered by cultures and peoples all over the world and now being repeated by people of Iran: “We want a healthy and free life in a free country that celebrates Nowruz and can no longer tolerate the death of freedom loving people.”

Happy Nowruz and Iranian New year

Shokooh Mirzadegi

March 2023

International Nowruz Day 2023

What is Nowruz and why do we celebrate it?

The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz), means new day; its spelling and pronunciation may vary by country.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.

Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous peoples, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.

Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect and the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. Its traditions and rituals reflect the cultural and ancient customs of the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values.

Celebrating Nowruz means the affirmation of life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labour and natural cycles of renewal and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life.

International Nowruz Day 21 March, 2022

What is Nowruz and why do we celebrate it?

The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz), means new day; its spelling and pronunciation may vary by country.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.

Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous peoples, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.

Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect and the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. Its traditions and rituals reflect the cultural and ancient customs of the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values.

Celebrating Nowruz means the affirmation of life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labour and natural cycles of renewal and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life.

Background

International Nowruz Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/64/253 of 2010, at the initiative of several countries that share this holiday. Under the agenda item of “culture of peace”, the member states of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan prepared and introduced a draft resolution (A/64/L.30) entitled “International Day of Nowruz” to the ongoing 64th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations for its consideration and adoption.

In the 71st plenary meeting on 23 February 2010, The General Assembly welcomed the inclusion of Nowruz in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on 30 September 2009.

It also recognized 21 March as the International Day of Nowruz, and invited interested Member States, the United Nations, in particular its relevant specialized agencies, funds and programmes, and mainly the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and interested international and regional organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, to participate in events organized by States where Nowruz is celebrated.

Chahar Shanbeh Suri – A civil struggle for beauty, happiness, and enlightenment

A civil struggle for beauty, happiness, and enlightenment

The simple definition of “civil disobedience” is to protest or engage in a nonviolent struggle against an order, method, or policy imposed by a power or government on the people.

As a lover of Iranian culture, I would like to claim that, according to the definition of “civil disobedience,” the movement to celebrate Nowruz and related ceremonies by millions of Iranians in the last few decades is the largest and most beautiful act of civil disobedience pursued in our era related to Iran.

This movement was born in our country immediately after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and grew rapidly. The religious government of post-revolution in Iran, with all of its violence and military power, along with its tools of propaganda and psychological deterrents, has in the name of prohibition and religion tried to eliminate the cultural and non-religious traditions of the people of Iran. Despite this, the people of Iran, while forcibly obeying many of the demands and orders of the Islamic government, have resisted this demand from the beginning. As a result, Iranians have for many years continued to openly and sometimes covertly fight against religious and non-religious ideology and belief, spreading day by day and even beyond the borders of Iran by Iranian immigrants or exiles.

Indeed, how could one name these tireless efforts and the determination of millions of people to preserve a part of the culture of a land other than a civil disobedience and/or civilized struggle? If this is not a civil struggle movement, then what is? For many years, the government, even through all kinds of threats, excuses, and security and religious reasons, has not been able to stop the people from celebrating Nowruz ceremonies. A few weeks before Nowruz, the people move like organized, beautiful and proud armies and hold every single Nowruz-related ceremony exactly the way it has been done for centuries. Perhaps no ceremony is celebrated with such determination and defiance as Chaharshanbe Suri, which takes place on the last Tuesday of the year. The people sing, jump over fire, and celebrate even when they are threatened by the government and some are arrested and imprisoned. The people ignore the threats and religious statements and celebrate by holding the traditions of this grand New Year custom.

Iran’s government spends millions to celebrate every religious holiday, from birthdays to Eid al-Ghadir, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha, where people celebrate with lights and celebratory decorations. The government however looks for a way to prevent the Nowruz ceremony every year. In spite of this, with the scent of spring inhaled on every breath, millions of Iranians set out every year to celebrate Nowruz as gloriously and as widely as possible, even during some of the worst economic pressures and experiences. They celebrate Nowruz, like meticulous and conscientious soldiers, as they rush to fight and raise the banner of their victory for another year on the eve of spring.

Part of the article, “Nowruz, and the Greatest Civil Struggle in Contemporary History.” Taken from the book Cultural and Historical Heritage of Iran During the Islamic Government written by Shokooh Mirzadegi.

Dr. Mansoureh Ettehadieh, recipient of the Pasargad Heritage Foundation’s 1401 (2022) Nowruz Award

Dr. Mansoureh Ettehadieh

Dr. Mansoureh Ettehadieh, researcher, historian, university professor, and founder of publishing firm, Nashr-e Tarikh-e Iran (Publishing History of Iran), is the recipient of the Nowruz Award in the field of cultural and historical heritage for:

    • Years of efforts to preserve Iran’s cultural and historical heritage
    • Years of research and teaching at university
    • Publication of numerous books about famous men and women during the Qajar period
    • Establishment of the publishing firm, Publishing History of Iran, focusing on publication of books on the history and culture of Iran

Biography of Dr. Mansoureh Ettehadieh

Mansoureh Ettehadieh, recipient of the Pasargad Heritage Foundation’s 1401 (2022) Nowruz Award

Dr. Mansoureh Ettehadieh, a historian, author, professor, and publisher of »Institute for the Publication of the History« is this year’s recipient of the Nowruz Award in the category of Cultural and Historical Heritage.

Dr. Ettehadieh is a historian, author, publisher, and a university professor and was born on 1934 in Tehran, Iran.  She had a difficult childhood in Iran during World War II while Iran was under allied occupation. After being homeschooled for a time she attended schools including Kayhan, Anoushiravan Dadgar, and Jandrak.  She then completed her secondary education in England and completed her higher education in history at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she received her master’s degree in 1959. Upon returning to Iran in 1969, she worked as an instructor at the University of Tehran, and in 1977, she returned to the UK to pursue her doctorate in history at the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Ettehadieh’s doctoral dissertation focused on “political parties during the constitutional period.” She returned to Iran in 1980 and started working once again at the University of Tehran. At the university, she taught a variety of subjects, including Qajar history, recent 100-year movements, and Middle Eastern history until she retired, where she continued to work and teach at the Iranian Studies Foundation.

In 1984, Dr. Ettehadieh established the Institute for the Publication of the History of Iran in order to publish documents and research in the field of contemporary Iranian history, where she still actively works.

Dr. Bahram Akasheh, recipient of the Pasargad Heritage Foundation’s 1401 (2022) Nowruz Award

Dr. Bahram Akasheh

Dr. Bahram Akasheh, seismologist and expert in geology and professor of geophysics, university professor, and dean of engineering faculty of Islamic Azad University North Tehran Branch, is the recipient of the Nowruz Award in the field of natural heritage and environment for:

    • Decades of efforts to introduce seismology to students to educate and inform and reduce risks of earthquakes
    • Establishment of the department of geophysics at the University of Tehran
    • Publication of more than one hundred scholarly articles and papers
    • Construction and operation of several seismic bases

Biography of Dr.Bahram Akhasheh

    • Dr. Bahram Akasheh is an Iranian seismologist and geophysicist. He is considered one of Iran’s leading experts on earthquakes and seismic activity.Dr. Akasheh was born in 1936 in Masjed Soleyman, Iran. He completed his primary and high school education in Masjed Soleyman and Ahvaz and his undergraduate university education in physics at the University of Tehran in 1956. He then pursued his postgraduate and doctoral studies at the University of Stuttgart, Germany in physics, geophysics and seismology, and geology.  After receiving his doctorate, Dr. Akasheh returned to the University of Tehran to teach at the Institute of Geophysics in 1985. Dr. Akasheh was later appointed as the chair of the department of Seismology, and went on to become the founder of the department of Geophysics at the University of Tehran. He later became the chair of the Department of Geophysics, at Islamic Azad University and served in that position for 14 years.Dr. Akasheh is the Dean of engineering faculty of Islamic Azad University North Tehran Branch.

Dr. Ardeshir Babaknia, recipient of the Pasargad Heritage Foundation’s 1401 (2022) Nowruz Award

Dr. Ardeshir Babaknia

Dr. Ardeshir Babaknia, physician, university professor, scientific and historical researcher, and cultural and artistic activist, is the recipient of the Nowruz Award in the field of culture and art for:

    • More than a decade of extensive research into the holocaust during World War II, and other genocides in the Middle East, with the goal of rooting out this type of human catastrophe
    • Four volumes of books on the Holocaust in Persian
    • Establishment of several cultural-scientific and social institutions
    • Supporting and cooperating with cultural and social institutions
    • Collecting and preserving a collection of Iranian historical artifacts
    • Creating beautiful artistic works on glass and ceramics with concepts related to the cultural and historical heritage of the ancient Persians

 

Biography of Ardeshir Babaknia

    • Dr. Ardeshir Babaknia, MD, is a Professor of Health Sciences, Medical Director and master of Health Sciences. Dr. Babaknia is also a special advisor to the Chapman University Provost in Health Initiative, Irvine CA.
    • Dr. Babaknia received his medical training at Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, US. He was trained in women’s reproductive health, and has been practicing Reproductive Medicine in Newport Beach, California for the last 25 years as well as serving as a Clinical Associate Professor at the School of Medicine, University of California in Irvine. Dr. Babaknia is one of the pioneers of minimally invasive laser surgery in medicine since the early 1980s. In addition to publishing more than 50 research and clinical articles on women’s health and wellness in peer reviewed journals, he is the author and co-author of over a dozen books in the field of women’s health, including two books on women’s health on nutrition: Soy: The Right Protein for Improving Your Health and Soy: One Choice for Menopausal Health.
    • He is the recipient of the National Medical Research Award for excellence in medical research from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
    • Dr. Babaknia has been a patron of the arts and of literature for many years. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Persian Heritage Foundation (1987-2007) and the Graduate Society (Society for Iranian Jewish University Graduates) studying Jewish contributions and influences on Iranian life and culture in their over 2500 years of living in Iran. This culminated in the publication of several books on the subject (1991-2012), and he became a member of the Board of Directors of several other scientific, charity and cultural Foundations.
    • Dr. Babaknia has served as the Chairman of the Institute for the Holocaust Studies in Washington D.C. (2011-2013), as well as the Chairman of the Holocaust Remembrance Day of Orange County, California (1993-2013). He has been on an international book tour promoting genocide awareness and prevention, (2012-2020). Dr. Babaknia is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Menorah Foundation with the specific mission of spreading the truth about the Holocaust and other genocides in the Middle East.
    • His dedicated studies and research on the subject of the Holocaust for over a decade culminated in the publication of a 4-volume groundbreaking book in Farsi about the Holocaust and other genocides of the last one hundred years (Wyman, 2012), which was awarded reference book of the year by the Association of the Jewish Librarians (2013).
    • In his book, Humanity, NOT, released January 2014, Dr. Babaknia has tried to weave in actual words from victims of the Holocaust along with letters and quotes from diaries of the victims, perpetrators, bystanders, and survivors of the Holocaust, accompanied by powerful paintings by renowned Iranian graphic artist Ardeshir Mohasses, in a way that touches the personal stories of man’s inhumanity to man, the brutality of the Holocaust, and the fragility of humanity. He believes reading first-hand horrifying experiences of the victims as well as some thoughts from philosophers and scholars helps us understand that the “reaction to the Holocaust has to be other than mere horror and revulsion. It has to be more than empathy with the victims, sharing their fear and some part of their actual suffering.”
    • In the past few years, he has embarked on one of his lifetime dreams, a journey long in making; creating sandblasted glass and ceramics artworks on social justice and human rights, global peace, women’s rights, children’s rights, the global climate crisis, water rights, refugee life and rights, and many other pressing social issues of our time.