From Ancient Persia to Modern IranBy: Jalil Ghorbani

Journey Through Time

Cultures,Traditions and Celebrations

Eid Norooz (New Year) – 1391 21 March or first day

of spring“Sofreh Hafteseen” Contains 7 items

starting with the letter s

Each items stands for a meaning; ex: well-being, prosperity, happiness, friendship

It lasts 13 daysDuring this time,

younger people are required to pay visits to their older relatives, friends, etc… and collect gifts

There is a lot of social gatherings and festivities

On the 13th day or “sizda be-dar,” people go outside to spend their day in nature

Toward the end of the year, people celebrate “chaharshanbe-suri,” (Festival of Fire) in which they make bonfires and jump over them singing zardi-ye man az to, sorkhi-ye to az man

Fire is considered to be a glorified and purified state

The literal translation is, my sickly yellow paleness is yours, your fiery red color is mine.

This is a purification rite.

Loosely translated, this means you want the fire to take your paleness, sickness, and problems and in turn give you redness, warmth, and energy

It is an ancient Iranian festival dating back to at least 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era

CitiesTehran: capital of

Iran

Milad Tower

Mashhad

PersepolisPersepolis (Persian city)

was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550-330 BCE)

Persepolis is situated 70 km northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the

The earliest remains of Persepolis date from around 515 BCE.

However, some ruins still remain after much of it was destroyed by Alexander the Great, not that Great actually

GreetingsHelloHow are youMy name is…I’m fine, thank-youGoodbye

سالم است چطور شما حال است من نام

خداحافظی

Food and CuisinePersian cuisine is notable

for their kabobs-cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables such as grilled tomatoes

Various flavorings are added such as parsley, cilantro, etc…

Kabobs were once thought to be foods for kings and royalty

They are served with rice mixed with a special spice called saffron for additional taste

The cuisine of Iran is diverse, with each province featuring dishes, as well as culinary traditions and styles, distinct to their regions

Persian foods are not known as spicy

Iran is also famous for its caviar, but mostly wealthy people eat them

SportsSoccer, soccer, and

soccer with the national team having reached the World Cup Final Tournament three times, and having won the Asian Cup on three occasions

Basketball is also very popular in Iran where the national team won two of the last three Asian Championships

Volleyball is also taking much popularity among the people in Iran

Iran is also home to several unique skiing resorts, with the Tochal resort being the world's fifth-highest ski resort (3,730 m/12,238 ft at its highest station), and located only fifteen minutes away from Tehran

Being a mountainous country, Iran is a venue for hiking, rock climbing,

and mountain climbing

Politics The Green Movement refers to a

series of actions after the 2009 Iranian presidential election, in which protesters demanded the removal of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from office

Green was initially used as the symbol of reformer Mir Hossein Mousavi's campaign, but after the election it became the symbol of unity and hope for those asking for invalidation of what they regarded as a false election

Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi are recognized as political leaders of the Green Movement

Witnesses to Green Movement protests often claim that protests of this size have not been seen in Iran since the 1979 revolution