March 22, 2017
On Wednesday March 22, 2017, The Iranian American Community of Northern California held a Nowruz reception invited all assembly members and State Senators to attend and experience a display of Persian culture. The goal was for our honorable assembly men and women and our Senators and their staff to be introduced to the rich culture of Iranian people and Nowruz, what Nowruz is and why is it important to Iranians in such difficult time under suppression of a religious fundamentalist regime.
Nowruz which literally means a new day, represents a change of season from cold and darkness and death to light and warmth and livelihood of the nature, signifies change and a rebirth of illumination of hope for a Free Iran .
In a room in Sacramento’s Capital, the aroma of mixed spring flowers and Persian pastries drew attention of many Sacramento Capital members.
The room was filled up with beautiful springy flower such as tulips hyacinths, hydrangea, and spring blossoms lavished with an elegant 7sin Table. The 7sin table which contains of at least 7 items starting with the letter “S”, mirror, candles, goldfish, orange and poem or a holly book, is the honor of each Persian house hold. Iranians take pride of this display and every year they decorate this table to their excellent design ability! The community members extended their efforts to display such important part of Nowruz to their representatives. Invited or not, all honorable Capital members greeted people with traditional Persian cookies, and bagged mixed nuts by Amoo (Uncle) Nowruz! Now, Amoo Nowruz is a fictional figure in Iranian Folklore. According to the folklore, he appears annually at the beginning of spring, together with his companion Haji Firooz, to mark the beginning of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year.
Amoo Nowruz is characterized as an elderly silver-haired man who puts on a felt hat, and has a walking stick, a long cloak of blue canvas, a sash, a pair of thin-soled shoes, and a pair of linen trousers. He is a wise historical presence who passes the old story of Nowruz to the youth. The old stories of ancient heroes who fought for freedom and independence which is written in a book called Shahnameh (The King’s Letters,) a poem book which contains of short stories all signifying the great culture of resistance against evil.
In this event Amoo Nowruz explained to the attendees why is important to defend the right of resistance of Iranian People. The great nation with a rich culture who introduced the first declaration of human rights by Cyrus the great, and now with a strong leadership of a woman who has the most progressive plan (10 point plan of Maryam Rajavi for the future of Iran), deserve to live under a democratic secular ruling elected by people.
We the members of Iranian American Communities of California, tried to share all these values and demonstrate what we stand for, a struggle for a Free Iran to all members of Sacramento Capital. The message we tried to send was the message of peace and freedom and the voices of Iranians who are under repressive ruling of a religious fascist regime, their basic rights are getting violated daily, easily imprisoned and tortured. The average Iranian citizens are exposed to watch public executions, or witness flogging and even stoning! Women are living under misogynistic rulings and treated as a second class citizens! Iranian women have limited job positions, denied education in certain fields, deprived of withholding most governmental key positions.
In public they are prevented to ride bikes or even attend in a sport stadium to watch sports. Singing and music, playing musical instruments considered tabu for women! Young Iranian girls get flogged for regime made dress coding violations or they are in danger if of being sprayed with acid! Iranian women even do not have equal social rights such as divorce, marriage, travel, or child custody.
In a nutshell, Iranian people are a kind giving nation who deserve to enjoy a democratic country and have freedom as the rest of the world. With the Nowruz event we tried to make our representatives to understand the depth of the suppressions of a terrorist regime who spends millions of dollars for its terrorist ambitions to destabilize the region and yet keeps its own people under extreme poverty and repression.
Bi-Partisan California Capitol members attended and spoke at Our Nowruz event and chatted with Amoo Nowruz. The California delegates sent their solidarity message of Free Iran to the community members and extended their Nowruz greeting to Iranians.
The Assembly members were welcomed by Mr. Ahmad Moin, Chair of Iranian American Community of Northern California and Mr. Ross Amin, President of the Organization of Iranian
American Communities-US (OIAC).
TV news channels such as NBC and FOX Sacramento’s local channels,
covered parts of the event and broadcasted on their evening news.
Persian Community Celebrates New Year
POSTED 11:29 PM, MARCH 22, 2017, BY FOX40 WEB DESK, UPDATED AT 11:14PM, MARCH 22, 2017
Now that spring is here, it’s time to say “Happy New Year” to the Persian community.
The occasion, known as Nowruz, is being observed and celebrated around the world. That included the state Capitol, where members of the local Iranian community held a gathering.
Nowruz has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in western and central Asia as well as parts of the Black Sea and Balkans.
A typical celebration involves gift giving and eating a feast.
FILED IN: LOCAL NEWS
With this note we conclude that Nowruz is a reminder for all of us Persian or not, of a new beging to achieve the goals we set for ourselves and for Iranians no goal is more important than having a Free Democratic Iran.
