Celebrate Nowruz (Persian New Year) at The City Library
UPDATE: MARCH 12, 2020
As a precaution against the spread of Coronavirus, The City Library has decided to cancel this year’s Nowruz Celebration, and all other programs through April 19. For the latest information on The City Library’s response to Coronavirus, please click here.
Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is observed throughout the world. It’s a celebration of peace, family, and friendship to mark the beginning of Spring. Nowruz is one of the oldest celebrations in history, originating nearly 4,000 years ago in the area that is now Iran. It’s a secular holiday that kicks off at the exact moment of the Spring Equinox, when when the sun crosses the equator.
The City Library’s Day-Riverside Branch will host a Nowruz celebration on Saturday, March 14, from 6–8pm. In this video, Sholeh Javdan and Mondis Nkoy of the American Iranian Society of Utah tell us more:
The celebration will include a traditional Persian dance performance, tea and sweets, a spring-themed craft for children, a Rumi poetry reading, and a Haft-sin display. The Haft-sin (pronounced haft-seen) is an arrangement of seven symbolic items meant to serve as a reminder of life’s constant renewal and invoke an appreciation of each moment.
The seven items of the Haft-sin begin with the letter “S.”
Sabzeh: wheat, symbolizing the rebirth of nature.
Samanu: sweet pudding, representing affluence.
Seeb: a red apple, symbolizing health and fertility.
Senjed: a Persian olive, symbolizing love and affection.
Seer: garlic, symbolizing protection.
Somāq: a Persian spice, symbolizing compassion.
Serkeh: vinegar, symbolizing immortality.
All are welcome to join us at the Day-Riverside Branch on Saturday, March 14!
This event is a partnership between The City Library, the Rumi Poetry Club, and the American Iranian Society of Utah.
