Every year, Pasargad Heritage Foundation (PHF) announces its dedicatee of the year. This year, on the eve of the most important Iranian celebrations, Nowruz and the beginning of spring and the new near, PHF proposes and dedicates the coming New Year to the great Zarathustra.
This choice has always been made based on the framework of preservation and the value of Iran’s cultural and historical heritage throughout history. Legacies that have been overshadowed by negligence and ignorance, anti-culturalism, or cultural discrimination, have unfortunately been in greater danger of destruction or annihilation during the Islamic rule than ever before. One of these legacies are those individuals who, due to their exceptional scientific, literary, and cultural backgrounds, have made significant contributions to the history of our land and to human societies, or can be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This year, the Pasargad Heritage Foundation has decided to name 1401 after the great Zoroaster—philosopher, thinker, and messenger of goodness.
Also known as Zoroaster and Zarathushtra Spitama, Zarathustra’s date of birth and the exact period of his life are not clear. Based on linguistic and cultural evidence, scholars say he was present in the second millennium BC, and some historians consider him a contemporary of Cyrus the Great and Darius I. But what seems clear is that the religion of Zoroaster from the sixth century BC to the seventh century AD was the religion of the Persians and some other peoples. European theologians consider Zarathustra a religious reformer because of his moral teachings and believe that he was able to exert significant influence on other religions such as Judaism and Islam, and especially Christianity. At the same time, many world thinkers and philosophers have named and praised Zarathustra as the first philosopher and thinker in the world. He was the first to call animal sacrifice a sin, and the preservation of nature, water, soil, plants, and animals as a form of worship. Apart from all this, what has further augmented our support and nomination for this year is the effects that the teachings of Zoroaster have had, directly or indirectly, on the lives of Persians then and on today’s Iranians, effects that are far greater than the effects of any other religion or creed.
The ideas of Zarathustra as a philosopher, a humanist thinker, and a great poet and writer in his time have given the foundations for building the cultural foundation that we now call “Iranian culture,” a culture that, with all its antiquity, has been and is completely relevant today. For this reason, the ideas of Zarathustra have been present in the works of Iranian philosophers, poets, and thinkers for centuries and have been placed in the hearts and souls of every Iranian with any religion or creed or in those with no particular religious beliefs. As to this day no religion or ideology has been able to destroy these foundations.
The essence and cultural value that Zarathustra has given us are based on the important and modern principles that “man has will and authority; the choice between evil and good, light and darkness” and emphasizing that the defeat of evil and darkness by man is inevitable.
And it is from the heart of this culture that Nowruz, Mehregan, Yalda, Sadeh, and Espandegan and many other Iranian celebrations were born, as a way to build the resilience of humans who have endured and continue to endure the harsh suffering over centuries.
With regards to the cultural values that Zarathustra has given us, beautiful and magical words have already been written: “Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.”
Pasargad Heritage Foundation, in announcing the year 1401 in the name of the great Zarathustra, congratulates everyone on the beautiful world of this Nowruz and Iranian New Year. Let us start the new year in the name of the great Zoroaster and his humane and enlightened thought, and wish all the people of Iran and the world a year full of peace, freedom, and happiness.
With kindness and best wishes,
Pasargad Heritage Foundation
https://savepasargad.com
