THE GUIDE - Social Events

Interviews >> THE GUIDE interviews diplomat and professor from Iran.

From left to right: Mr. Mehdi Zanjani, Minister of the Iranian Embassy, Mr. Mostafa Nadim, Iranian Professor at the University of Brasília (UnB) and the President of THE GUIDE Business Consultancy Mr. Pedro Paulo Moreira.

Iran celebrated the first day of their calendar on March 21st. This date is also the first day of spring, which has an important meaning in the Iranian culture. This year, the embassy of Iran celebrated the Nowruz party with the attendance of guests from outside the Embassy. The party is the most important celebration of the year and THE GUIDE visited the Iranian Embassy on March 18th to interview the Iranian diplomat Mr. Mehdi Zanjani and the Iranian professor at the University of Brasília (UnB), Mr. Mostafa Nadim to know more about it. During the interview, topics as the Nowruz Celebration and the increasing relationship between Iran and Brazil were discussed.

In the interview, topics as the Nowruz Celebration and the relationship between Iran and Brazil were discussed.

1 - THE GUIDE: First of all, thank you very much for receiving THE GUIDE. Is this the first time that the Nowruz Party is celebrated in the Iranian Embassy in Brasília?

Actually, this date is celebrated every year in all the Iranian Embassies in the world. However, this is the first time the date will be celebrated in Brasília with the attendance of guests from outside the Embassy.

Mr. Mehdi Zanjani, Minister of the Iranian Embassy

2 - THE GUIDE: What is the meaning of Nowruz Celebration for the Iranians?

This is the most important celebration of the year. It is also the first day of spring and there is a reason for that. You see, the spring is the season of rebirth, when everything changes and flourishes. We celebrate this new time with seven elements that are placed in a table specially designed for that day representing the most important values of our culture.

3- THE GUIDE: Professor Nadim, could you talk about the tradition that follows Nowruz Celebration?

Nowruz is the first day of our calendar as well as the first day of spring. It is a time to put the heritage we have earned in practice. Iranian has many traditions surrounding Nowruz, some of which begin before New Year and others after that. For example, we usually wash our houses to start the year with a fresh home. We wash the walls, the carpets and even buy new furniture or rearrange it. The people buy new clothes to welcome the New Year. In fact, cleanliness has always been a very important value for Iranian, but before New Year this value becomes essential to the celebration.

Mr. Mostafa Nadim, Iranian Professor at the University of Brasília (UnB)

4 – THE GUIDE: What about the specially designed table and the seven elements, what do they represent?

First of all, I must say that this table (or in Farsi (sofre)) is the symbol of creation and life, therefore everything in that table is a symbol of creation and life. Another important aspect of the table is the number seven. This number is also related to creation and life and we know that number seven is sacred in many nations. The seven elements represent seven important things in our lives as well as things we wish for.

In fact, SOFRE HAFTSIN or the seven edible things have their Persian names beginning with the letter "sin" or "s". The elements are placed on a tray or otherwise placed next to each other on the table (SOFRE). The seven elements are Sib (apple), somaq (sumac), sir (garlic), samanu (a paste made with wheat sprouts), senjed (jujube fruit), sohan (a candy made with honey and nuts), siyahdane (sesame seeds), serke (vinegar), and sangak (bread baked on a bed of rocks). Since the edible items on the haft-sin are not to be eaten until after the change of seasons, often non-edibles such as sekke (coins), sonbol (hyacinth), spand (the wild rue), or sabzeh (wheat or lentil sprouts) are also placed on the table. The seven "sin"s symbolically recall the story of creation of all things by Ahura Mazda, the Iranian God in the ancient world in Iran. This ceremony continues until now, but today the seven "sin"s are interpreted rather differently. Nowadays, the seven main elements in the SOFRE and their symbolic meanings are: Seer (garlic) medicine for recovering from evil and symbol of health; Serkeh (vinegar) age and patience; wards off bitterness in life; Samanu (Persian sweet) sweetness and fertility. While preparing the Samanu, people usually make promises for things they desire; Senjed (the fruit and leaf of the Senjed) for love and passion; Seke (coins) for prosperity and wealth, Sumaq (medicinal effects) representing the ups and downs in life and color of the sun at sunrise and sunset and Sib (apple), symbol of health, natural beauty and fragrance. We have many other elements such as apples, mirrors, decorated eggs and golden fishes, among others.

The Nowruz Table is the symbol of life and creation.

5 –THE GUIDE: Professor, do you think the Iranian culture is well-known in Brazil?

I think people in Brazil are getting to know more about our culture day by day. There are still many things to be known about Iran. For instance, many people do not know that even the concept of Santa Claus is influenced by the Nowruz and Iranian culture. That is why events like the Nowruz celebration when open to the public outside the Embassy helps improve the knowledge about our culture.

6 – THE GUIDE: Professor Nadim, how long have you been teaching at UnB? What do you think about Brazil?

I have been here since last year teaching Persian culture for a class at the university. I am the forth Iranian professor who comes to Brazil for this program and I will be here until the second semester of this year. I could have chosen many countries to teach in but I chose to teach in Brazil for two main reasons. First of all, I did it because I think the tolerance between different religions in this country is amazing. We can see people of all religions living together, which is an example for so many countries. The second reason is also the tolerance between different races, we can see people from different races walking together everywhere. It might seem simple for you Brazilians, but, unfortunately, that is something that does not happen everywhere outside this country. In my culture and in my religion, everybody is equal and there is also no difference between religion and race.

THE GUIDE thanks Mr. Mehdi Zanjani, Minister of the Iranian Embassy and Mr. Mostafa Nadim, Iranian Professor at the University of Brasília (UnB) for the interview.