persian-nowruzOnce again Nowruz--the ancient Persian Festival of the New Year--is here. Nowruz is the celebration of renewal and regeneration of life. Nowruz is the bearer of glad tidings for a better year ahead for all of humankind. It is in the spirit of Nowruz that Persians, as well as many other ethnic co-celebrators, greet one another with good wishes and extend a hand of friendship to all. It is in the spirit of Nowruz that I offer my sincere best wishes to everyone, with particular humility to those magnificent prisoners of conscience who are languishing in the dungeons of the Islamic Republic of Iran instead of celebrating the occasion in the bosom of their families and their loved-ones.

May the Persian New Year be a year of freedom, justice, and well-being for all. May every day of  the Persian New Year glow with good words, shine with good thoughts and be filled with good deeds. happy-nowruz  

 

Amil Imani is the author of Obama Meets Ahmadinejad and Operation Persian Gulf.

2014-03-20 15:36:23
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Hi Amil,

Just came across your blog. I find many Iranians getting disenchanted with Islam and are leaving the religion to become atheists. Part of the blame goes to theoretic government in Tehran.

In India, we kind of benefited by the Arab invasion of Iran, a group of Zoorastrians migrated to India and still exist though their numbers are decreasing rapidly. They are called Parsis in India. I guess Nowruz is basically a Zoorastrian festival and is celeberated by the Parsis with lots of enthusiasm.

Contribution of Parsis in the development of India has been immense, you name the field, Sports, politics, science, military, art, culture, they have been pioneers.

They are hardworkers and believe in the Zoorastrian culture of selfless service, even after their death, their bodies are left to be consumed by hungry vultures.

I wonder why Iranians are not reverting back to this beautiful faith of theirs again?
Greetings from the Prime Minister
March 20, 2014

I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings to all Canadians celebrating Nowruz.

Marking the start of the Persian New Year, Nowruz is a wonderful occasion to gather with family and friends and look forward to the year to come. This time-honoured celebration, dating back millennia to ancient Mesopotamia and the Persian Empire, reminds us of the debt the world owes to Persian civilization for its advances in science, culture and the arts. This is also a time to hope for a brighter future for those in Iran, and around the Persian Gulf, who do not enjoy the same rights and freedoms that we do as Canadians.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, Laureen and I extend our best wishes for a joyous and peaceful Nowruz.

Sincerely,
The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.

Prime Minister of Canada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbeo5siEbCw