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Happy Noruz/Nowruz - Happy New Year Year - Greeting

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Happy Noruz/Nowruz - Happy New Year Year - Greeting

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Let's celebrate the Iranian New Year! (Radio Programme on RTE2 Hub about Nowruz)

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Let's celebrate the Iranian New Year! (Radio Programme on RTE2 Hub about Nowruz)

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We've just finished celebrating St Patrick’s Day, but Spring is a time where people celebrate across the world, for all kinds of different reasons.

In this episode of Mother Tongues we hear all about the Iranian festival of Nowruz.

Iranian New Year doesn’t happen in December but instead comes on their first day of Spring - around the 21st of March.

Visit MotherTongues Ireland for more great work: www.mothertongues.ie

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We've just finished celebrating St Patrick's Day, but Spring is a time where people celebrate across the world, for all kinds of different reasons.

In this episode of Mothertongues we hear all about the Iranian festival of Nowruz.

Iranian New Year doesn't happen in December but instead comes on their first day of Spring - 21 March.

Diana is 10 and her sister Sophia is 5. They are both Irish, but their parents are originally from Iran. Arezo is their mum. Together, they all speak Persian at home.

Here, they talk about all the traditions relating to Nowruz. From food to presents and music.

Diana even put together a special display in her school to share the traditions with her classmates.

Nowruz is also known as the Persian New Year and it has been celebrated for over 3,000 years by people all over the world with Persian roots.

On this special day learn how to say some of the greetings below!

بهار. ...Bahar...Spring عيدي. ...Present kids receive for Nowruz...Eydi عيد شما مبارك ...Eyd shuma Mobarak.. Happy Nowruz نوروزتان پيروز ...Nowruzetan Piroz...Happy Nowruz
Subscribe and listen to ALL the episodes so far here: MOTHERTONGUES
This is only the beginning for Mothertongues and the crew are really keen to learn about more cultures and languages.If you would like to get involved and share your mother tongue contact us here: junior@rte.ie

Thanks so much to all the families who have taken part so far and to everyone at mothertongues.ie for helping connect the dots.

They do amazing work and this is only a small addition to the help they give multilingual families across the country.

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We've just finished celebrating St Patrick's Day, but Spring is a time where people celebrate across the world, for all kinds of different reasons. In this episode of Mothertongues we hear all about the Iranian festival of Nowruz. Iranian New Year doesn't happen in December but instead comes on their first day of Spring - 21 March.

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It is 2026 in Ireland. On March 20th, 2026, the first day of the New Year (Noruz) will be celebrated in Ireland and the new year will be the year 1405.

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It is 2026 in Ireland. On March 20th, 2026, the first day of the New Year (Noruz) will be celebrated in Ireland and the new year will be the year 1405.

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The Gregorian Calendar is used in many western countries and in Ireland mark Year One as related to the life of Jesus Christ are now in the year 2026 AD. Other faiths and cultures do not use the life of Christ as a marker in the calendar for what year it is. Here is the the Persian/Gregorian Calendar conversion chart.

The Iranian calendars or Iranian chronology (Persian: گاه‌شماری ایرانی‎, Gāh-Šomāri-ye Irāni) are a succession of calendars invented or used for over two millennia in Iran, also known as Persia. One of the longest chronological records in human history, the Iranian calendar has been modified time and again during its history to suit administrative, climatic, and religious purposes. The most influential face in laying the frameworks for the calendar and its precision was the 11 century Persian polymath, hakim Omar Khayyam.

The modern Iranian calendar is currently the official calendar in Iran. It begins at the midnight nearest to the instant of the vernal equinox as determined by astronomic calculations for the Iran Standard Time meridian (52.5°E or UTC+03:30). It is, therefore, an observation-based calendar, unlike the Gregorian, which is rule-based.[1]

The Iranian New Year (Noruz) usually begins within a day of the 21st of March of the Gregorian calendar.

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Who are the students in Ireland who might celebrate Noruz?

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Who are the students in Ireland who might celebrate Noruz?

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If you have students from these countries and/or ethnicities, they MAY celebrate Noruz:

Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Kursdistan, Kashmir

If you have students from these faiths, they MAY
celebrate Noruz:

Zoroastrian and Baha'is

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Noruz Recipes (Tradititonal Noruz Foods)

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Noruz Recipes (Tradititonal Noruz Foods)

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Some of the traditional foods eaten at Noruz.

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How Noruz is celebrated around the world (Comparative Study)

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How Noruz is celebrated around the world (Comparative Study)

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Look at videos and explanations about how Noruz is celebrated in different cultures/countries. Can be a very interesting jumping off point for CSPE/RSE/Geography or History Teachers.

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Nowruz is an ancient festival marking the arrival of Spring that is celebrated in parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, the Balkans, and East Africa. It dates back at least 3,000 years, and it was adopted and spread by the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, which the holiday is today often linked with. The Zoroastrian calendar was based on the passage of seasons, and Nowruz - which means "New Day" in Persian - is followed by the festival of Tirgan in summer, Mehregan in fall, and Yalda in winter.

Nowruz is a celebration of rebirth and renewal, of the end of winter and the flowering of the Earth that warm weather portends.

In this article, we'll be taking a tour of Nowruz around the world to see some of the many ways its marked and the meanings it has taken on. We start by discussing the history of Nowruz, before proceeding country by country: Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Kurdistan, the Balkans and Turkey, and finally, Tanzania.

Nowruz is often called the Persian New Year and is closely associated with Iran. But Nowruz is marked across many different countries, including in Afghanistan and Central and Southern Asia, among Kurds across the Middle East, and even in parts of the Balkans and on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar (more on that soon!).

Even though Nowruz has ancient roots, the holiday has changed significantly over the thousands of years that it has been celebrated. Different regions have preserved or developed different traditions, and new ones have been added to the old ones. The beautiful thing about Nowruz is that it has taken different shapes everywhere it has reached, but it always marks the original message of rebirth and renewal.

The spread of Nowruz can be traced back to three primary historical factors. Firstly, the ancient influence of Persian imperial culture across much of Central and Western Asia, where Persian and Turkic communities have celebrated it for many centuries.

Secondly, Nowruz is linked to the adoption of Persian culture and poetry by medieval Islamic empires, like the Ottomans and the Mughals, who spread the holiday to Turkey, the Balkans and South Asia. The Mughal court officially celebrated Nowruz in India, while the Bektashi Sufi order, which was influential in the Ottoman realm, spread the holiday into Southeastern Europe.

In the past, Nowruz was much more widespread then it is now; for example the Islamic Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties are believed to have celebrated in the Arab world. The third factor in Nowruz's spread is that migrants from Iran took the holiday with them as they traveled, including to places like Zanzibar where it was eventually adopted by locals as well.

Nowruz is also a religious holiday for many. In Zoroastrianism and the Baha'i Faith, Nowruz is marked as the new year. For many Muslims as well, Nowruz is an important day. The 6th Shia Imam, Imam Jaafar, is said to have encouraged the celebration of Nowruz with remembrance of the divine. This tradition is taken seriously by many, especially among Shia and Ismaili Muslims in India and Pakistan. Many Ismaili Muslims celebrate by distributing rice and sugar and painting boiled eggs. Some Shia Muslims observe the day as a fasting day.

For many, Nowruz is closely associated with Ali ibn Abu Talib, the first Shia imam and the fourth Sunni caliph. It is marked with great festivities by Sunni and Shia Muslims in Mazar-e-Sharif, where many believe he is buried. One famous story recounts that a gift of falooda, a sweet rose-flavored dessert, was sent to Imam Ali on Nowruz. When he found out the reason for the gift, he announced: "May every day be Nowruz then!"

Nowruz is a secular holiday for some, a religious holiday for others, and something in between for many more. Wherever it goes, Nowruz involves a lot of time spent with family and a lot of time eating food, and it usually begins with spring cleaning to welcome in the new year. Across many different countries, there are common foods, especially a wheat paste called samanu or sumalak that is usually prepared in a large oven together. There are also shared rituals like bonfires, as fire's warmth is linked to life and health.

Nowruz is not without its politics, either. In parts of the Soviet Union, the holiday was banned for most of the 20th century, forcing millions to mark Nowruz underground. And in Syria, Turkey, and Iraq, Newroz has been repeatedly banned by Arab nationalist governments intent on suppressing Kurdish cultural expression, turning it into a powerful symbol of Kurdish thirst for azadi, or freedom. In Iran, the Islamic Republic initially banned Chaharshanbe Suri bonfires due to their alleged origin in Zoroastrian fire worship, but eventually relented.

Throughout it all, Nowruz has persevered as a popular expression of rebirth, joy, and love hinting at a shared Persianate cultural heritage deep below the surface across the region.

Nowruz is a two-week long holiday in Iran, one of the most important celebrations of the year. The Nowruz season begins on the last Tuesday before the New Year with Chaharshanbe Suri, when Iranians jump over bonfires in the streets to mark the end of the year. As Iranians leap over the fires, they chant " sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to" (" let your redness be mine, let my yellowness be yours ") to represent their wishes for good health (the redness, symbolizing warmth and strength) in the year to come and cleansing their bodies of sickness (the yellowness).

Historically Chaharshanbe Suri took place over the last three or four Wednesdays of the year. Chaharshanbe Suri is accompanied by Qashogh Zani, when people go door to door asking for gifts (often money or sweets) dressed in long chadors to cover their identity.

In the days leading up to Nowruz, bazaars overflow with holiday gifts as well as the seven elements that make up the traditional Nowruz spread that Iranians set up in their homes, called a Haft Seen ("Seven S's"). Each of these begins with the letter "seen" (i.e. "s"), and they include: sabzeh (grass, for rebirth), senjed (dried fruit, for love) sib (apple, for beauty and health), seer (garlic, for health), samanu (for wealth and fertility), serkeh (vinegar, for wisdom that comes with age), and sumac (for the sunrise of a new day). Many also add mirrors, goldfish, coins, and flowers to Haft Seen displays.

Iranians spend Nowruz with family, and the traditional new year dinner is herbed white fish with rice. The thick green Ash Reshte stew is also a common Nowruz dish, as well as nokhodchi, a chickpea cookie. Many families also give out "eidi" to younger ones, a money gift to mark the new year. This is also the time when performers appear in blackface as Hajji Firuz, a traditional Nowruz character whose roots are linked to slavery, make their appearance in streets across Iran.

The Nowruz holiday ends with Sizdebedar ("13th to the door"), the 13th day after Nowruz when Iranians traditionally spend the day picnicking outside. In Iran, the countryside fills up with families leaving their urban comforts behind and eating food, smoking waterpipes, and dancing outside wherever they can find a space. Sizdebedar gatherings among Iranians abroad, meanwhile, can attract to tens of thousands to parks in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Iranian band Rastak performs a traditional Nowruz song.
Novruz is a major national party in Iran's northern neighbor Azerbaijan, where it is marked by huge bonfires across the country accompanied by music and dancing. For days before, Azeris will collect firewood in preparation. As the bonfire winds down, families and friends jump over it to burn all the bad things of the year past and to welcome in the new year clean and fresh.

Novruz in Azerbaijan is all about the food. A typical Azeri Novruz dish may include a heaping plate of rice pilav, dolma (grape leaves stuffed with lamb), and shekerbura, a sweet pastry made with walnuts or almonds. Neighbors share their creations with each other, and children go door to door singing folk songs and collecting sweets. Many houses also put up displays of səməni, grass wrapped in a red bow that marks the arrival of springtime. In the town of Qazax, one famous Novruz tradition involves crossdressing and dancing in the streets.

Novruz is also significant for the Azeri community in neighboring Georgia as well, where many perform traditional dances and young men ride horses through the streets. Wrestling competitions also feature prominently. In neighboring Armenia, meanwhile, many traditions similar to Nowruz are maintained in February during the Trndez holiday. These include lighting bonfires and, on a separate holiday, throwing water at friends and family, which was a common Nowruz festivity in Iran historically but today is less common.

Nawroz is widely marked across Afghanistan, most commonly with Haft Mewa ("Seven Fruit"). Haft Mewa is a sweet dessert compote made from seven dried fruits and nuts, usually red raisins, black raisins, yellow raisins, senjid (the fruit of the oleaster tree), pistachio, dried apricot, and dried apple.

A Nawroz dinner in Afghanistan may include sabzi challow (spinach and rice) with rooster or white fish. The holiday is marked with the recitation of Persian poetry as well as plays on Nowruz themes, and in Afghanistan large games of bozkashi - polo played with a stuffed goat's head - are played for many to watch. The preparation of samanoo is a must, and many women gather to help stir the sweet pudding - which must be stirred constantly for many hours during the preparation - and sing folk songs.

In Mazar-e-Sharif, Nawroz is closely linked to the red tulip festival, as the countryside fills with these beautiful red flowers and many enjoy picnicking around them. At the city's Blue Mosque, meanwhile, Nawroz is the time for a festive flag-raising over the tomb where Imam Ali is believed to be buried.

In Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, Nevroz or Nauryz is a major public holiday. Navroz is also marked by Turkic and Persian communities in western China, especially in Xinjiang province (also known as East Turkestan) which is a cultural part of Central Asia.

In Tajikistan, Tajiks clean their homes fastidiously in anticipation of the holiday, which is spent feasting with friends and wearing nice clothes. Public events often involve singing, dancing, and wrestling, in addition to huge games of bozkashi, a traditional sport similar to polo but using a lamb's head. There is also a festive table called dastarkhon that is decorated with seven items beginning with the letter "s". Some Tajiks also prepare Haft Mewa, as in Afghanistan.

In both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, there is a tradition of filling empty vessels around the home with water on the eve of Navroz to bring in the holiday. This is linked to wishes for good health in the new year. Many light candles as well, demonstrating the importance of both water and fire in new year celebrations.

In Kazakhstan, many cities erect dastorkhan in large traditional yurts, used by nomads for centuries as they traveled across the land. Nauryz involves the Nauryz koshe, a holiday meal that consists of seven ingredients, usually including water, meat, salt, milk or yoghurt, and a grain. These ingredients symbolize seven virtues, and the meal is offered to guests and neighbors. In many towns, messengers travel among the houses and invite people to join the celebrations. In some places, people dress up like heroes from Kazakh folklore like Aldar Kose, Zhirenshe and Karashash. There's also co-ed wrestling, people trying to say tongue-twisters ( zhanyltpash) and riddle-solving ( zhumbak).

Throughout Central Asia, Navroz is closely associated with samanu, called sumalak. Sumalak is a sweet wheat paste made from young wheatgrass which is soaked and prepared a week in advance. On the eve before Navroz, women gather around huge pots of sumalak stirring it for hours upon hours and singing folk songs until dawn. The sweet paste is then handed out to loved ones to spread around the joy of the new year.

For Kurds across the Middle East, Newroz is intimately linked to the story of Kawa (also known as Kaveh) from the mythical Persian poem the Shahnameh. Kawa was a blacksmith who led an uprising against a tyrannical Assyrian king named Zahak and freed his people from Zahak's oppressive rule. In commemoration of the victory, they say, Newroz was established and the victorious villagers leaped over bonfires to celebrate.

Among Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, Newroz is deeply political due to the fact that its celebration has been for decades suppressed. As a result, the story of Kawa has taken on added urgency as asymbol of popular resistance to oppression. The bonfires lit in Kurdish Newroz celebrations in these countries are often spectacular displays, and hundreds or thousands will circle them to perform large line dances to mark the festivity.

Many Kurds go out into the countryside to mark Newroz and have picnics with families, celebrating the warmer weather and wearing bright, traditional Kurdish clothes to welcome Spring.

In Albania and Kosovo, "Dita e Sulltan Nevruzit" (the Day of Nevruz Sultan) is a national holiday closely linked to the Bektashi Sufi order. Nevruz is considered a pan-Albanian holiday dear to all and central to religious harmony. For followers of the Sufi order, Nevruz is marked as the commemoration of the birth of Imam Ali, the fourth Islamic caliph, while for secular Albanians its celebration is linked to the beginning of spring.

In Sufi tekkes (lodges) across Albania and Kosovo, Nevruz is a day when many visit and large meals of lamb are cooked to be shared with all who stop by. Many Sufi lodges carry out dhikr, or ritual remembrance and chanting, on the day.

Nevruz commemorations - and their links to Imam Ali's birthday - are widespread among Bektashi Sufis and Alevis in countries outside of Albania as well, especially in Turkey. Celebrations like Mart Dokuzu, which means 9th of March, are linked to the Nevruz holiday, and often include visits to grave sites. In rural Anatolia, some Nevruz traditions include placing bowls of water throughout the house on Nevruz eve in the hope that one's wishes come true. Across Anatolia, there are various commemorations linked to Nevruz that are different from region to region, but often include water, fire, and picnicking outside and wishing for luck in the year to come.

In many parts of southeastern Europe, especially those previously under Ottoman rule, Nevruz celebrations were often absorbed over time into Easter rituals. This is partially because of how similar celebrations can be: for example, the tradition of painted eggs exists in both. Until the mid-20th century, Nowruz celebrations were common in many parts of Bulgaria and Romania, especially among communities like Pomaks, Albanians, and Gagauz, and among Crimean Tatars in the Ukraine.

Of all the countries where Nowruz is celebrated, probably the least widely known is in Tanzania. About 1,000 years ago, a group of Iranians from Shiraz move to the island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania and settled there. They were part of a larger wave of migration from Iran and the Persian Gulf region over the centuries to come that brought Zanzibar and Africa's eastern coast generally into an intimate relationship with the Persian Gulf regions.

The Shirazis who settled in Zanzibar brought Nowruz with them, and over time Zanzibaris adopted the holiday under the name Mwaka Kogwa. The holiday is celebrated in July (Tanzania is in the Southern hemisphere after all!), and today it is celebrated as a new year festival with its own set of traditions.

The most well-known Makwa Kogwa takes place in the village of Makunduchi. There, men use banana stems to engage in mock fights with each other in order to air out the grievances from the past year and start the new year fresh. Women, meanwhile, sing songs in the fields around the village. The celebration includes large meals offered to any guest who passes by, as it is considered unlucky to be without a guest on the holiday. Like most Nowruz celebrations, Makwa Kogwa even includes a big bonfire.

These are just some of the many ways Nowruz is marked around the world today. What did we miss? Let us know in the comments!

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How Nowruz is Celebrated Around the World - Ajam Media Collective

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Nowruz is an ancient festival marking the arrival of Spring that is celebrated in parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, the Balkans, and East Africa. It dates back at least 3,000 years, and it was adopted and spread by the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism, which the holiday is today often linked with.

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Iran is also called Persia. It's the 2nd largest country in the Middle East.

Persian (also called Farsi) is the official language of Iran. Many other languages are spoken by different ethnic groups. One such group is the Arabs of Iran who live in the southwest in Khouzestan province. One of our correspondents has sent us some songs of the Arabs of Iran, which you can find here, followed by Persian songs.

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Mama Lisa's World of Children and International Culture

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Iran is also called Persia. It's the 2nd largest country in the Middle East.

Persian (also called Farsi) is the official language of Iran. Many other languages are spoken by different ethnic groups. One such group is the Arabs of Iran who live in the southwest in Khouzestan province. One of our correspondents has sent us some songs of the Arabs of Iran, which you can find here, followed by Persian songs.

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Iranian Children's Songs - Iran - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs, Nursery Rhymes and Traditional Music from Around the World

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Iran is also called Persia. It's the 2nd largest country in the Middle East. Persian (also called Farsi) is the official language of Iran. Many other languages are spoken by different ethnic groups. One such group is the Arabs of Iran who live in the southwest in Khouzestan province.

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Nowruz and Persian New Year انیمیشن شاد درباره نوروز و هفت سین

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Nowruz and Persian New Year انیمیشن شاد درباره نوروز و هفت سین

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Video and song for children in Farsi (English subtitles available) It is very good for young children (and people of all ages!) to hear songs and rhymes in other languages!

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Nowruz and Persian New Year انیمیشن شاد درباره نوروز و هفت سین

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Babak and Friends - A First Norooz (Children's Cartoon Video)

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Babak and Friends - A First Norooz (Children's Cartoon Video)

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Babak and Friends - A First Norooz - The Story of Norooz - English

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Noruz celebration in the UK from the BBC

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Noruz celebration in the UK from the BBC

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This is from the point of view of people from Iranian/Persian ethnicity/culture celebrating Noruz in the UK.

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Nowruz: How 300m people celebrate Persian New Year - BBC News

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When is Noruz this year and where I live?

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When is Noruz this year and where I live?

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Because Noruz is related to the Spring Equinox, the exact date of celebration changes based on location depending on where you live. See the link below to see when to celebrate where you live!

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Iranian New Year 1400

Tehran: Saturday March 20, 2021 at 1:07:28 PM

Moscow: 12:37:28 PM, Saturday March 20, 2021
Athens: 11:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021
Berlin: 10:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021
Paris: 10:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021
London: 09:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021

New York: 5:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021 (EST)
Chicago: 4:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021 (CST)
Denver: 3:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021 (MST)
Los Angeles: 2:37:28 AM, Saturday March 20, 2021 (PST)

Tokyo: 6:37:28 PM, Saturday March 20, 2021
Sydney: 8:37:28 PM, Saturday March 20, 2021

Standard Time Zones of the World (PDF)

Articles
Chahar Shanbe Suri (Culture of Iran)
No Ruz (Culture of Iran)
Norouz Background (Iran Heritage Foundation)
Women Roles in Norouz Celebrations (CHN)
Seezdeh beh dar (Culture of Iran)
Now Ruz - The New Year Celebration in Persia (Iran Review)
Nowruz Day (UN)
Nowruz (UNESCO)

Official Stamps
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

Culture of Iran

Front Page

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Nowruz/Norooz/Norouz | Persian New Year - عید نوروز

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Sabze is wheat, barley, lentil, or other sprout grown in a dish or pot that symbolizes rebirth. It is one of the seven traditional items included in a Haft-Sin tablescape in celebration of the Persian New Year, Nowruz.

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Activity

In Korea, paper fans are used in a traditional dance called buchaechum, which is often performed by groups of female dancers wearing colored hanboks (Korean traditional dress). Through dance choreography and movement, the fans express the beauty of nature by creating impressions of flowers, butterflies, and water.

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Growing Sabze, a Symbol of Rebirth | Education | Asian Art Museum

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Activity In Korea, paper fans are used in a traditional dance called buchaechum, which is often performed by groups of female dancers wearing colored hanboks (Korean traditional dress). Through dance choreography and movement, the fans express the beauty of nature by creating impressions of flowers, butterflies, and water.

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Children of Heaven (Bacheha-Ye aseman (original title)

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Children of Heaven (Bacheha-Ye aseman (original title)

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Majid Majidi (1997)

After a boy loses his sister's pair of shoes, he goes on a series of adventures in order to find them. When he can't, he tries a new way to "win" a new pair.

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Directed by Majid Majidi. With Mohammad Amir Naji, Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahare Seddiqi, Nafise Jafar-Mohammadi. After a boy loses his sister's pair of shoes, he goes on a series of adventures in order to find them. When he can't, he tries a new way to "win" a new pair.

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Homework (Lying about Homework) Mashgh-e Shab (original title)

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Homework (Lying about Homework) Mashgh-e Shab (original title)

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(Abbas Kiarostami, 1989)

In Kiarostami’s second documentary feature about education, the filmmaker himself asks the questions, probing a succession of invariably cute first- and second-graders about their home situations and the schoolwork they must do there. It emerges that many parents are illiterate. Tellingly, many kids can define punishment (the corporal variety seems common) but not encouragement.

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"It's a film about homework."

Or so Abbas Kiarostami tells a group of schoolboys who approach him on the street and ask what he's filming. "Have you done your homework?" Kiarostami asks them, in turn. A resounding "Yes!," and off they go to school, where the director and his crew will soon join them. When an adult passerby stops to inquire about the film moments later, Kiarostami skirts politely around his own intentions - the theme will emerge only through the process of filming, but it has something to do with a problem he encountered while helping his son with his homework - before offering the man a vague summary of what he knows so far. "You could say it's a visual study of pupils' homework assignments."

Taken at face value, Kiarostami's description of his feature documentary Homework ( Mashgh-e Shab, 1989) is accurate enough; the bulk of the film entails he and his small crew visiting a poor public school in Tehran and interviewing schoolboys, one after another, about their homework. Calling the film a "visual study," however, would be selling it short by half. Kiarostami understood better than most that cinema is not a visual but an audiovisual medium, comprised of image and sound; Kiarostami's cinema, in particular, is as much about what we don't see as what we do. The interactions described above occur in the opening seconds of the film, and already we've seen and heard the children but have only heard the adults. Kiarostami and the passerby remain hidden somewhere beyond the edges of the frame, their conversation perhaps heard from a time and place that doesn't correspond to what's shown onscreen. Homework is about children, who we always see, but it's also about adults, who we only sometimes see.

"Why haven't you done your homework?"

Kiarostami begins by asking this question, or a question to this effect, to each child seated in front of his camera. The answers they give are often banal (for example, they couldn't do the homework because some family members came to visit) and sometimes poignant (their parents are illiterate and so weren't able to help them with it). On this level, the film is a rather straightforward journalistic undertaking about children's attitudes towards homework and, by extension, schooling and education. But as all documentaries do to some degree, Homework reflects a moment in history - here the latter stages of the Iran-Iraq War, a savage conflict that lasted eight years and killed somewhere in the vicinity of a million people. The young boys who appear in the film don't yet know a world without it. It's through their responses to Kiarostami's simple but persistent questioning, which slowly branches off from the topic of homework, that they reveal the immense cultural, social and political pressures that inflect their lives - and that they carry with them every day, like their schoolbags, between home and school.

"What do you want to be?" Kiarostami asks a child, to which the child responds, "A pilot." Nothing at all unusual except the reason given, which is "To kill Suddam." When asked what he'd rather be if Suddam Hussein weren't part of the picture: a doctor, to save lives! Despite that he ought to be too young to understand what it means, another boy claims he'll hit his future son to discipline him - seven times, to be exact, this being the same number of slaps he receives from his own father when he acts up. In a more light-hearted but no less absurd fashion, many of the boys profess that they enjoy doing homework as much as they enjoy watching cartoons. The children's grades, abilities and circumstances may vary, but it's clear they're all learning; that is, they're learning what they're supposed to say. And one lesson they've learned already, it quickly emerges, is that they get punished for not doing homework. Almost every child agrees on what this "punishment" means - it's usually to get beaten by a parent, with a belt, or sometimes by a teacher, with a ruler. (Few of them agree on, let alone understand, what is meant by "praise" or "encouragement".) It isn't the children's attitudes towards homework that speak loudest, so much as their fear of what would happen should they not do it.

"Why are you crying?"

Kiarostami isn't even able to broach the topic of homework with Majid, the last boy to appear before the camera. The poor kid is an anxious mess from the outset, crying for his best friend to be alongside him for protection, apologising for no reason in particular and, most tellingly, keeping his arm raised throughout much of the ordeal - something a teacher has taught him to do, when seeking permission. Kiarostami isn't a teacher, but he may as well be one for Majid and the other children. Like a teacher, this man already seems to know whether they've done their homework or not. And like a teacher, he has the power to pull them out of class for reasons they don't understand, and into a room full of strange men and their strange equipment, the significance of which they also don't understand. All Majid knows is that Kiarostami belongs to the adult world - the same world in which belong the men and women who punish children for not doing homework. Which is why Majid cries, and why the children lie.

Like Frederick Wiseman's American documentary High School (1968), filmed two decades earlier in a country that would soon become one of Iran's ideological nemeses, Homework questions not just how schooling works but what schooling is for. Wiseman does this by focusing on the processes of schooling, by observing the teachers as they teach and discipline the students. Kiarostami focuses instead on the effects of schooling, by provoking the students to reveal what they've learned or not - all while questioning his own role as a filmmaker, as the one doing the provoking. Like their anxieties about school, these children's anxieties about being filmed are often visible on their faces even before their interview has started proper. Not content with mere observation, however, Kiarostami also makes visible the immediate source of their anxieties, through sporadic shots of he and his crew that remind us exactly who's in charge; and most notably, through the abundant insert shots of his cameraman pointing the lens directly into the eye of another camera - Homework 's single most recurring image - that alternate with talking-head shots of the children throughout the film and function as their collective point of view. Kiarostami may be on the children's side, but it doesn't necessarily look that way for the children. This bold and jarring image, staged after the fact and shown again and again, never allows us to forget the imbalance at the film's centre.

"Are you telling the truth?"

In a late sequence, a teacher leads the entire school through a religious mourning ceremony in the yard, echoing the nationalistic war chants the children are shown performing at the start of their day (" Three and four and five and six, Saddam's followers are doomed!"). Kiarostami's voice emerges, in a rare voiceover: maintaining the detached tone he adopts throughout the film, he expresses regret that the children aren't performing the ceremony to an adequate standard - then turns off the sound. Kiarostami will go on to pull off a similar manoeuvre in the celebrated final sequence of his next film, the masterpiece Close-Up (1991). In that sequence, a faulty lapel mic serves as the pretext for obscuring a climactic conversation between two characters. The rationale given for the silence in Homework, however, is supposedly "out of respect."

We can't know for certain if Kiarostami is telling the truth or not, neither here nor elsewhere - but if the sound has been turned off out of respect, it would seem to be out of respect for the children only. With the homogenising camouflage of the singing removed, we can now see (and "hear") that the children can't recite the lyrics with any enthusiasm, or beat their chests properly in time, because they don't care about or even understand the words and actions they're being made to repeat. Some boys look around confused while others stare off into space, perhaps daydreaming about when the school bell might ring; many risk punishment and take the opportunity to play, by mocking the ceremony with a custom dance, or by sneaking out of formation to flick another boy's ear from behind. As the soundtrack creeps back in, the camera locates Majid's ever-anxious face at the tail end of the sequence - and he appears to be one of only few sorry-looking kids who are taking the ceremony seriously.

With a simple formal gesture, Kiarostami transforms the sequence into both a celebration of childhood and an indictment of blind adult authority - and confirms through sound and image what's already been revealed through the children's words. What the children say in Homework is often heartbreaking, but what they say isn't the same as what they think and feel. (Even Majid will be given a final opportunity to prove as much, in the film's beautiful closing moments.) The truth of this discrepancy comes in the shape of a lie; to see it and hear it for what it is, Kiarostami must lie himself.

* * *

Prod. Co: Kanun Prod: Ali Reza Zarrin Dir: Abbas Kiarostami Phot: Ali Asghar Mirzai, Farhad Saba, Iraj Safavi Ed: Abbas Kiarostami Snd: Ahmad Asgari, Changiz Sayad

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Lying About Homework (Abbas Kiarostami, 1989)

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Or so Abbas Kiarostami tells a group of schoolboys who approach him on the street and ask what he's filming. "Have you done your homework?" Kiarostami asks them, in turn. A resounding "Yes!," and off they go to school, where the director and his crew will soon join them.

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A list of children's literature with characters who are Iranian or have Persian connections.

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Nowruz 2021 will begin at 4:15 PM on Sunday, March 21 and ends at 4:14 PM on Monday, March 22

Check out the new book by award-winning author Adib Khorram celebrating a special Nowruz story.

And order it and other books celebrating Persian American and Persian lives and stories.

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Nowruz 2021 will begin at 4:15 PM on Sunday, March 21 and ends at 4:14 PM on Monday, March 22 Check out the new book by award-winning author Adib Khorram celebrating a special Nowruz story. And order it and other books celebrating Persian American and Persian lives and stories.

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A list of children's literature with characters who are Iranian or have Persian connections.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nowruz 2021 will begin at 4:15 PM on Sunday, March 21 and ends at 4:14 PM on Monday, March 22

Check out the new book by award-winning author Adib Khorram celebrating a special Nowruz story.

And order it and other books celebrating Persian American and Persian lives and stories.

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Nowruz 2021 will begin at 4:15 PM on Sunday, March 21 and ends at 4:14 PM on Monday, March 22 Check out the new book by award-winning author Adib Khorram celebrating a special Nowruz story. And order it and other books celebrating Persian American and Persian lives and stories.

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Shabe Yalda (Yalda Night): The longest night of the year

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Shabe Yalda (Yalda Night): The longest night of the year

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Shabe Yalda; a night of welcoming. A night of love, light and rebirth of the sun. The night of Hafez and Bidel (Persian poets) and lovers in the hope of a bright sunrise and longer days to come.

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Updated: 8 July 2019

You might be busy Christmas shopping this month, but Iranians are busy preparing for another holiday just a few days before- Shab-e Yalda, or Yalda Night, an ancient Zoroastrian tradition. Here's everything you need to know about Yalda Night, including how you can join the fun and celebrate it just like an Iranian.

The Wh-s of Yalda

What is Yalda Night?

The winter solstice and longest night of the year. This is the night when Iranians swap sweet slumber for spending time with family and friends and getting a hearty annual dose of Persian literature.

Where do they celebrate it?

Other than Iran, Yalda is observed in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

When do they celebrate it?

On the last night of autumn. On the Iranian calendar, this would be the last day of the month of Azar, coinciding with December 21st.

And finally, why is it a special occasion?

Yalda Night, or as it's also called, stems from Zoroastrianism and means "birth" in Syriac. Because days will slowly start to become longer after Yalda, it's a celebration of the birth of the sun as a symbol of light conquering darkness, good conquering evil. In Persian poetry, shab-e Yalda has come to symbolize things like loneliness, waiting, and separation from a loved one. The same way that light triumphs over darkness, waiting and loneliness are over, and goodness prevails.

They say the customs associated with Yalda Night in ancient times were intended to protect people from evil during the longest night.

So here are your 7 simple steps to celebrate Yalda like an Iranian.

My Yalda table setting from a few years ago

1. Set the table

Traditionally, the table is a , a short wooden table with a small (and regulated) charcoal fire underneath (although nowadays, they use an electric heater) and covered with thick quilts and blankets. You sit around this table, pulling the blanket up over you and stretching your legs out under it. The first winter I ever visited Iran, my grandmother made one, and it's so unbelievably warm and cozy that once you curl up underneath it, nothing could possibly pull you out! (And funnily enough, the first time I actually ever experienced the was in Japan. My parents always told us stories about it, but I had never seen one until the winter I visited a friend in Japan. We would eat meals around the kotatsu, and after dinner every night, my friend's dad would pass out right there! I love finding out about these similarities across cultures!)

But if you can experience the at all, consider yourself lucky because these days it's sadly become an endangered part of Iranian culture. At any rate, you need a table to set everything on. Your coffee table will do.

Yalda setting and corsi at Cinema Museum Cafe in Tehran

2. Munch on red fruits, âjeel, and khoshkbâr

The key here is red fruits, specifically watermelon and pomegranate. Eating watermelon is supposed to immunize you from catching winter colds and also keep you nice and cool from the scorching summer heat soon to come. Pomegranate rind is symbolic of birth or the crimson dawn while the ruby seeds symbolize the glow of life. While persimmon, apples, and other fall fruit may also grace the table, watermelon and pomegranate (sprinkled with - Persian hogweed- if you like) are your chief fruits.

You'll also want to be sure you're well-stocked on âjeel (nuts) and khoshkbâr (dried fruit) to snack on throughout the night. In the days leading up to Yalda, business will be booming in stores like Tavazo in Tehran. They say eating nuts on this night leads to prosperity! Here's to hoping.

3. Get divine guidance from Hafez

It's tradition to seek divination from the great master on Yalda. So close your eyes, ask a question, open Divan-e Hafez at random, and read and interpret the poem. We call this fâl-e Hafez in Persian.

While you're at it, read up on other works of Persian literature, like your favorite legend from the Shahnameh or tales of Khosrow and Shirin or Leili and Majnun.

4. Feast on Persian dishes

The normal state of an Iranian dining table provides enough food to feed a small army. So you can imagine that a celebration calls for bokhor bokhor (a chow down)! And on Yalda, âsh reshteh is a must! This thick bean and noodle soup is topped with (a whey product) and yummy fried onions and mint. Other dishes depend on the region. People in the north might prepare herb rice with fish while in other places it might be , the wonderfully tangy pomegranate-walnut stew.

5. Sip bottomless glasses of tea

The longest night of the year calls for glass after glass of cardamom-infused Persian tea! Go ahead and cozy it up by preparing it in a traditional samovar.

6. Enjoy time with your family and friends

Consider Yalda the Iranians' belated Thanksgiving. Give thanks for being surrounded by your loved ones, express gratitude for the previous year's blessings, and say a little prayer for health and prosperity in the coming year.

7. Stay up until the wee hours

Why is Yalda not a national holiday? Who knows! Regardless, stay up as late as you possibly can. This year Yalda falls on Friday night- great news for those of you outside Iran. But for those of us in Iran, Friday is our Sunday, meaning Saturday is the start of the work week. Not to worry, though, as everyone else is also sure to stroll into work rubbing their eyes on Saturday morning. That tea brewing on the samovar will come in handy!

And here's a bonus 8th step/insider's tip for folks in Tehran:

Prepare for heavy- I mean HEAVY- traffic and a shortage of taxis. If you're invited anywhere, plan to leave a good 3 hours in advance (if not more). Otherwise, you might as well forget it. I made this mistake my first year when a friend invited me to join her family. I tried to leave after work around 7pm, but there was no taxi available anywhere I called. And then I realized why. The highways were (utterly gridlocked). And so I called my friend to give my apologies and thank her for the invitation. Around 11 pm, I had Yalda delivered to my door. Traffic had subsided, and my friend's grandmother had sent me âsh reshteh, âjeel, and pomegranates topped with . Now that's what I call Persian hospitality.

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Pontia writes and blogs about all things Iran: culture, language, and travel. She was born and raised in the US and has lived in Tehran for four years, the combination of which gives her an unbiased perspective on Iran and a unique ability to explain cultural nuances to foreigners. A teacher and lifelong learner, she delivers cultural explainers and language tips for Iranophiles.

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7 Simple Steps to Celebrate Yalda Night Like an Iranian - My Persian Corner

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Updated: 8 July 2019 You might be busy Christmas shopping this month, but Iranians are busy preparing for another holiday just a few days before- Shab-e Yalda, or Yalda Night, an ancient Zoroastrian tradition. Here's everything you need to know about Yalda Night, including how you can join the fun and celebrate it just like an Iranian.

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Chaharshanbe Suri (The Scarlet Wednesday) Jump over the Fire!

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Chaharshanbe Suri (The Scarlet Wednesday) Jump over the Fire!

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On the evening before Chaharshanbehsuri (colloquially pronounced Charshambeh-suri), people gather whatever type of kindling is common in their locality and make bonfi res in their yards, the streets, or the open country. Whoever wishes and is able—men, women, children—jump over the fl ames while singing, “Your redness to me, my pallor to you”; the ritual is intended to ensure good health and fortune for the coming year.

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On the evening before Chaharshanbehsuri (colloquially pronounced Charshambeh-suri), people gather whatever type of kindling is common in their locality and make bonfi res in their yards, the streets, or the open country. Whoever wishes and is able-men, women, children-jump over the fl ames while singing, "Your redness to me, my pallor to you"; the ritual is intended to ensure good health and fortune for the coming year. Traditionally, there are various rules that apply to how the fi re is tended and how the ashes are dealt with subsequently (reminders, perhaps, of the sacredness of fi re in Zoroastrianism). Many other supplementary or local customs are practiced in connection with the holiday. The most common include setting off fi reworks; "banging spoons" ( qashoq-zani ), when young people go door-to -door banging a spoon on a plate and receiving little gifts, in some ways similar to Halloween door-to-door visits; social gatherings where people stay up most of the night snacking on fruits and nuts and burning rue seeds to ward off misfortune; making a special dish known as the soup of Abu Dardâ to give to people who have been chronically ill; and smashing an old pot or jug after jumping over the fi re (another omen of good luck, as is the general practice of spring cleaning and refurbishing the house that follows the holiday). Despite, or perhaps because, of its popularity, conservative Muslim religious leaders view this holiday, and indeed most of the others in this category, with a good deal of suspicion as non-Islamic and pagan in character and have occasionally tried to suppress or constrain it, but without much success. It can be a particularly sensitive issue when the holiday falls at the same time as Moharram, as happened recently (Source: Iran Customs and Values).

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Chahrshanbehsuri: the Scarlet Wednesday Custom in Iran

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Islamic Iran still continues to celebrate many Zoroastrian sacred events including "the Scarlet Wednesday". In one sense, Zoroastrianism due to its strong monotheistic tone has survived through numerous centuries in Persia and Iranian people continue to celebrate many Zoroastrian occasions.

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Sizdah Be-dar literally means to spend the thirteen outdoor, as Sizdah is number 13 in Farsi language. The new year’s holiday finishes on this day, which means it takes long 13 days. Sizdah be-dar is also known as Nature’s day on the national calendar.

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What is Sizdah Be-dar?

Sizdah Be-dar literally means to spend the thirteen outdoor, as Sizdah is number 13 in Farsi language. As mentioned earlier, the new year's holiday finishes on this day, which means it takes long 13 days. Sizdah be-dar is also known as Nature's day on the national calendar. That is because people celebrate this day picnicking outdoor and close to nature. In fact, it is impossible to celebrate the last day of Nowruz holiday without leaving the house and joining nature. So, if you are in Iran during this day, you will see many families and groups having fun outdoor!

History of Sizdah Be-dar

Unlike what many people believe, 13 is not a bad omen in Persian culture. In fact, none of the days of the year is considered ominous or unlucky in the Iranian calendar. On the contrary, each day of the week and month have had beautiful names associated with one of the manifestations of nature or God. The 13th day of each month in the Solar calendar is named "Tir Rooz". It is named after the star which in ancient Iran was believed to be the star of rain and considered to bring grace and blessing of God. That's why they have chosen the 13th day of the first month, Farvardin, as the first Tirgan Ceremony of the year. The aim was to officially end the Nowruz ceremonies by being next to nature and rejoice. Sizdah Be-dar, therefore, was an end to the most important ceremony of the year. So, it should be celebrated in the best possible way.

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What is Sizdah Be-dar? Sizdah Be-dar literally means to spend the thirteen outdoor, as Sizdah is number 13 in Farsi language. As mentioned earlier, the new year's holiday finishes on this day, which means it takes long 13 days. Sizdah be-dar is also known as Nature's day on the national calendar.

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An Iranian teacher living in Ireland presents this Padlet.

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Zoroastrianism was founded in Persia in the sixth century BCE by Zoroaster, who is also known as Zarathustra. Zoroaster was the prophet of a new kind of religion, one that preached faith in a single god instead of many. While most of the religions of the day worshiped several gods, Zoroastrianism was one of the first significant monotheistic religions in the world. Though no longer a major world religion, it still has followers in modern times and shares many of the ethical and, in some cases, the religious beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

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What Is It?

Zoroastrianism was founded in Persia in the sixth century BCE by Zoroaster, who is also known as Zarathustra. Zoroaster was the prophet of a new kind of religion, one that preached faith in a single god instead of many. While most of the religions of the day worshiped several gods, Zoroastrianism was one of the first significant monotheistic religions in the world. Though no longer a major world religion, it still has followers in modern times and shares many of the ethical and, in some cases, the religious beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Beliefs and Practices

"I praise aloud the thought well thought, the word well spoken, and the deed well done." - Zoroastrian prayer

Zoroaster taught that just as day is divided from night and darkness divided from light, good is divided from evil. The God of Zoroastrianism is called Ahura Mazda. The good forces in the world are led by Ahura Mazda's servant, the holy spirit Spenta Mainyu. Spenta Mainyu also acts as a medium between humans and Ahura Mazda. Through Spenta Mainyu, humans can defeat the ultimate force of evil - the evil spirit Angra Mainyu. Humans, while capable of evil and temptation by Angra Mainyu, were not seen as inherently flawed. Zoroastrianism believes that Ahura Mazda gave humans free will to choose either good or evil. Through good words, thoughts and deeds, humans can serve Ahura Mazda and help defeat Angra Mainyu. Zoroaster also taught that good will ultimately triumph over evil.

Holy Books, Prophets and Followers

Little is known about the prophet Zoroaster himself. It is thought that he wrote the "Gathas," a collection of songs in the form of dialogue between himself and Ahura Mazda. The Gathas are a part of the holy book of the Avesta (meaning "knowledge"). The Avesta's other sections deal with worship practices, sacrifice and the native Persian worship of fire. Because the Zoroastrians incorporated Persian fire worship into their practices to adapt to the population they converted, a common misconception is that they were fire worshipers.

In fact, the conversion of Persia was a turbulent one - monotheism was controversial. Zoroaster himself was probably killed in religious wars. Eventually, the religion became well-established in the area, adopted by Persian kings and finally made Persia's official religion. As for the Avesta, it continued to be added to as late as the fourth century CE.

Decline of Zoroastrianism

With the spread of Islam into Persia in the sixth century CE (an alternative term for the Anni Domini calendar), Zoroastrianism began its decline. While Muslims recognized Jews and Christians as fellow "People of the Book" who shared their religious heritage, Zoroastrians were not counted among them. Many followers of Zoroaster took refuge in India (home of Hinduism, a polytheistic faith). Today, there is still a following of about 120,000 Zoroastrians in India and another 20,000 in Iran, where their religion originated. The Indian Zoroastrians are called Parsis (meaning "Persian") and do not accept their neighbors' polytheism, but neither do they try to convert them.

Similarities to Other Religions

Zoroastrianism has often been noted for its similarity to the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Like these three, it teaches belief in one god, a supreme force of good who is opposed by the ultimate force of evil. All these religions believe in a definite difference between good and evil - as opposed to several Eastern religions which generally believe that since all things are of God then good and evil are relative. There is also a spirit medium between God and humans: Spenta Mainyu in Zoroastrianism; the Holy Spirit and Jesus in Christianity; and the Angel Gabriel in Islam. Angels and demons also feature in all four of these religions.

The symbol of fire, an important Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit and everlasting life, is also important in Zoroastrianism for essentially the same reason: believed to be a perfect embodiment of Ahura Mazda, a flame is kept burning at all times in a temple. But then again, many religions stress the symbolic importance of fire - including Hinduism, a polytheistic faith. Finally, the belief that "one should not do to others anything that does not seem good to oneself" is also expressed in different words in the ethics of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

However, there are also important differences. The three Abrahamic faiths believe that humans have free will to choose between good and evil, like Zoroastrianism. But while the Judeo-Christian tradition teaches that Satan was created by God and was good before he fell, Angra Mainyu is a deity of evil unto himself. Islam is also more strictly monotheistic than any of these religions, believing in angels only as messengers and rejecting the idea of intermediaries like Spenta Mainyu, Jesus or the Holy Spirit.

All in all, though, the similarities of these religions - especially their teachings of ethics and good deeds and their common origin in the Middle East - are more significant than their differences.

References

Irani, Tiru. "Zoroastrianism," The New Book of Knowledge, p. 396 vol. 20. Grolier Incorporated, 2001.

Image: Faravahar by Kevin McCormick under CC by -SA 3.0

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The Teachings and Beliefs of Zoroastrianism: An Ancient Religion

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Zoroastrianism was founded by the prophet Zoroaster in the sixth century BCE and was one of the first monotheistic faiths in the world. Zoroaster taught that the forces of good in the world served the supreme god Ahura Mazda and his holy spirit Spenta Mainyu.

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Harvard University Centre for Middle Eastern Studies Outreach Programme

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Cultural Kit for Noruz Unit (Lower Primary)

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Cultural Kit for Noruz Unit (Lower Primary)

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Country Themed Culture Kits
Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country.

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Jump to: Resources | Books | Multimedia

Resources:
Click here for lesson plans: https://cmes.arizona.edu/outreach/lessons
Country Themed Culture Kits
Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country.

At the Court of The Great King
By Sara Otto-Diniz, Jacqueline Pinsker McCaffrey and Denise Schmandt-Besserat
Illustrated by Ellen Rogers Simmons
Courtesy of The Blanton Museum of Art
The University of Texas at Austin
An elementary level story about the art of ancient Persia. This was originally for an art exhibit at The Blanton Museum of Art in 1978. Therefore, it has some references to the exhibit but has a lot of valuable information regarding Persian history, art and culture.

"Open Sesame"The Story of Persian Locks
By Sara Otto-Diniz and Denise Schmandt-Besserat
Illustrated by Bonnie Jewel-Froman
Courtesy of The Blanton Museum of Art
The University of Texas at Austin
An elementary level story about the origin of Persian locks. This was originally for an art exhibit at The Blanton Museum of Art in 1976. Therefore, it has some references to the exhibit but has a lot of valuable information regarding Persian history, art and culture.

Books:

Mystery Bottle
By Kristen Balouch
Award-winning tale of a little boy in New York who is magically transported to Iran, where his father is from.

Multimedia:

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The Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)

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Click here for lesson plans: https://cmes.arizona.edu/outreach/lessons Country Themed Culture Kits Each kit comes with artifacts and activities for teaching about a specific country. At the Court of The Great King By Sara Otto-Diniz, Jacqueline Pinsker McCaffrey and Denise Schmandt-BesseratIllustrated by Ellen Rogers SimmonsCourtesy of The Blanton Museum of Art The University of Texas at Austin An elementary level story about the art of ancient Persia.

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It must be said that Noruz is celebrated by 300 million people, not all of whom are Iranian. The title of this resource is misleading.

https://www.twinkl.ie/event/nowruz-2024

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Use this informative powerpoint to teach your class all about Iranian new year. Nowruz, as it is known, is also the Persian new year. In this interactive powerpoint, you will find information about when, why and how Nowruz is celebrated. A great way to support teaching and discussions about Iranian new year.

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Noruz Activity Pack for Children and Teachers (British Council) 

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Noruz Activity Pack for Children and Teachers (British Council) 

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During Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebration, each vibrant item on the haftseen table has its own symbolic meaning.

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Nowruz: How millions celebrate the Persian New Year

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Noruz is recognised by the UN on International Noruz Day 

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Noruz is recognised by the UN on International Noruz Day 

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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.