For over 3,000 years, Iranians plus over twenty observed ethnic groups from a diverse variety of societies have been celebrating this meaningful New Year’s celebration, happening right on the day of the vernal equinox. Marking the first day of spring, this New Year is in true attunement with the rhythm of life. That being said,...
Probably one of the more well-known of the Iranian celebrations by Westerners, aside from Nowruz, Chaharshanbe Soori is the unique celebration of unknown origins that leads up to the marking of the new year. This festival is celebrated in a few different ways today, all of which still include jumping over a huge fire! Iranians...
Beginning just three years after the chaotic Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) has taken place every year on its anniversary and hosts of a multitude of national and international films. The globally recognized FIFF is promoted locally as well as internationally, attracting speakers from all over the globe including Europe,...
Marking the hundredth day since the passing of summer, this ancient Persian holiday celebrates the beginning of the long winter; honoring fire and defeating the darkness, frost and cold weather. The extravagantly grand festivity, Jashn-e Sadeh (also spelled Sadé) in Persian, was most elaborately celebrated in the times of ancient Persia. Old legends say that...
Aside from the national holidays that follow the Persian Solar Calendar, many of Iran’s holidays are in accordance with events in the Islamic religion and follow the Muslim Lunar Calendar, which moves about 10 days forward each year. A few examples of Iranian holidays are: Iranian New Year (Nowruz): Celebrated on the first day of...
As Christians all over the world geared up for Christmas this week, so too were Iranians preparing to celebrate the festive holiday in all its glory. Iran’s Christian Armenian minority in particular has been storming the gift shops in Tehran, buying them out of all their ornaments, Santa figures and pine trees to hang in...