Iran Heritage Foundation • 2009 Report

Iran Heritage Foundation2009 in Review Institutional partnershipsPublicationsGrantsMultidisciplinary EventsFilm and performing artsConferences and lecturesSocial functionsFuture events and projectsAcknowledgements

Report

contents

Management and Organisation

Executive Director’s Review

2009 Financial Review

Institutional Partnerships

2009 Grants

Multi-Disciplinary Events Shah‘Abbas:TheRemakingofIran ThirtyYearsOn:TheSocialandCulturalImpactsoftheIranianRevolution OmarKhayyam,FitzGeraldandtheRubaiyat TransitTehran:ArtandDocumentaryfromTehran

Film and Performing Arts

Conferences and Lectures

Social Functions

2010 Events and Projects

Acknowledgements

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Board of TrusteesVahidAlaghbandChairHashemArouziFaradAzimaCEOManucherAzmudehRoshanakDwyerArdeshirNaghshinehRouzbehPirouzAliRashidianSedighehRastegarPresidentAliSarikhaniDrAliSattaripour

Executive DirectorDrLadanAkbarnia

Foundation SecretaryDrKimyaKamshad

Management BoardDrLadanAkbarniaFaradAzimaChairMaryamAlaghbandProgrammes and EventsRoshanakDwyerFinanceDrKimyaKamshadLegal and Compliance

Advisory BoardLordGowrieChairSirJohnBoydLadyTeresaClarkeLordLamont

Academic CommitteeDr.GeorginaHerrmannChairProfAliAnsariDrLeiliAnvar-ChenderoffDrLaylaSDibaProfRobertHillenbrandDrHomaKatouzianProfCharlesMelvilleDrSarahStewartDrVestaSarkhoshCurtis

Norouz Organising Committee (2009)MaryamAlaghbandChairLeilaAdleRoyaBabaeeParitaBagheriFereshtehDaftaryNoushinDanechiBitaDaryabariElaheFatemi

NassimHeppeAfsanehHeyatElaheKashanchiYasminKoussariLillyLadjevardiNasiMahloujiGoliMetghalchiAnnaMonibiNeginParviziMayRashidianSoussiKermanRastegarSabineSarikhaniMonirSattaripourNedaToofanian

Future Generation CommitteeKouroshKaghazianChairXanyarKamangarDrRashidKhatib-ShahidiAmirSafa

The Management Board supported byNahidAssemi Programmes ManagerFarzanehYeganeh Accounts Manager

2 2009inReview 3

Management and OrganisationTheFoundation’smission,vision,budgetsandprogrammescopeissetandapprovedbyaBoard of Trustees.Theannualprogrammeisimplementedunderthesupervisionofa Management Board bytheExecutiveDirector.EachmemberoftheManagementBoardworkswiththeExecutiveDirectorinmanagingthevariousaspectsoftheorganisation,includingmattersofadministrationandcompliance,financeandbudget,andpublicprogrammesandeventsaswellasdevelopment.AnAdvisory Board,aFoundation SecretaryandanumberofspecialistcommitteessupporttheFoundation.TheseincludetheAcademic Committee,whichselectseligibleacademicandresearchprojectsanddisbursesthebudgetprovidedbytheTrusteesandtheEvents CommitteeorganisesandcoordinatestheFoundation’ssocialandculturaleventsthroughouttheyear.TheFuture Generation Committee,originallyfoundedtoreachouttoyoungermembersoftheIraniancommunityandtopursueprojectsreflectiveoftheinterestsoftheyoungergeneration,isnowaligningitselfwiththeManagementBoardaspartoftheFoundation’sbroaderobjectives.

Sources of FundingOurmostimportantsourcesoffundingincludedtheNorouzgalaaswellascontributionsfromtrustees,corporatesponsors,donorsandfriends.FunctionsorganizedbytheEventsCommitteegeneratedfurtherfunds.Nofinancialsupportwasreceivedoracceptedfromanygovernment.

How You Can HelpTheFoundationachievesmuchofitsworkthroughindividualsvolunteeringtheirtime.Inaddition,everydonation,largeorsmall,helpsustomakearealdifferenceinachievingourobjectives.Wewelcomeyoursupport!

Additionalinformationandupdatednewsonourprogrammesandeventsmaybealsofoundatwww.iranheritage.organdatwww.facebook.com/iran.heritage.foundation

4 2009inReview 5

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09 The 2009 year-in-reviewattheIranHeritageFoundation(IHF)presentsanorganisationemerging

fromaperiodofconsolidationandtransformationstrongerinitsprogrammesandfoundationsforthefuture.Underthesageleadershipofmypredecessor,theFoundationadoptedamodernconstitution,establishednewandimportantadministrativeandcomplianceprocedures,andappointedmefull-timeExecutiveDirector.TheFoundationcontinuedtosupportnumerousfellowshipsaswellasresearchprojectsfundedthroughitsAcademicCommitteegrants,theproductsofwhichwillbecomeapparentin2010andfutureyearsthroughevents,reportsandpublications.Italsoorganisedandsupportedseveralimportantpublicprogrammesandevents,themostsignificantofwhichwasthemajorexhibition,Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iran.ThiseventwasorganisedbyDrSheilaCanbyattheBritishMuseumandinvolvedawidevarietyofsupplementalprogrammesandacademicconferences.

Theactivitiesof2009paintapictureofanIHFthatremainstruetoitslongstandingreputationofvigoroussupportforacademic,intellectualandcommunityprojectsrelatedtotherichculturalheritageofIran.The year’sacademicpursuitsinvolvedthecontinuedsupportofresearchprojectsandprogrammesthroughawardsgrantedbytheAcademicCommittee,allofwhichareannouncedinthisannualreport.The AcademicCommitteewasalsoengagedmoreactivelyinanefforttostreamlinethepublicationsprojectsadoptedbytheFoundationbydividingitsbiannualmeetingsbetweenmattersrelatedtoacademicgrantsandthoserelatedtopublicationscomprisingIHF’sownpublication series.FellowshipswerealsorenewedattheUniversitiesofExeter,Oxford,StAndrewsandattheBritishMuseum.

Thenewestdevelopmentin2009involvedaninitiativetoformalisesupportforuniversitiesandmuseumsthroughtheInstitutional Partnership Programme (IPP).TheIPPseekstofacilitatetheestablishmentoflongtermpositionsandprogrammesinIranianstudiesatacademicandculturalinstitutionsmainlyinbutnotlimitedtotheUnitedKingdom.ThisinitiativewillgofarinensuringtheenduranceofIHF’smissionasitisbeingimplementedinsomeofthemostestablishedandrespectedinstitutionsoftheworld.TheFoundationwillengageitspartnerinstitutionsandtheindividualswhotakeonthenewpostsintheformofvariouslectures,conferencesandpublicprogrammesandbringthepartnerstogetheronaregularbasisaspartofanetworkofcommunicationandcollaborationfornewprojectsandpursuits.

Asthefollowingreportwillattest,severalinterestingmulti-disciplinaryeventsintheformofexhibitions,

lectures,conferences,filmsandperformanceswereorganisedorsupportedbyIHFonsubjectsrepresentingawidespectrumoftimeperiodsthroughoutthehistoryofIranandthePersianateworld.SocialeventsincludedtheFoundation’smajorannualfundraiser,theNorouzGala,andafundraisingdinnerattheBritishMuseuminsupportoftheShah ‘Abbas exhibition.Community support,whichprovidesoneofthemostimportantfoundationsforculturalpreservation,continuedintheformofsupportattheRustamIranianSchool,theLibraryforIranianStudiesandKanoonIran.Tothiscommendablegroup,theFutureGenerationCommitteeaddedaprojecttoincorporatetheteachingofancienthistorythroughaPersianaswellasclassicallens.Othercontinuedprojects,suchastheEncyclopaedia IranicaandthedigitisationprojectoftheGolha ProgrammeArchives,reachaglobalaudiencethroughvirtualaccessviatheInternet.IHFintendstoformalisedigitalandInternetrelatedprojectsin2010,asthisistrulythewaveofthefutureandwillallowtheFoundation’smissiontocrossinternationalboundariesmorethaneverbefore.

2010willthusfollowontheheelsof2009,benefittingfromthepreviousyear’ssuccessfulinitiatives,continuingprojectsbeguninpreviousyearsandintroducingsomenewinitiativesintendedtobuilduponearlierimprovementsandsuccesses;thesewillincludebutnotbelimitedtoastandardisationofprogrammesandtheactivebaseofIHFvolunteersandinternsandtheraisingofprofilesforcommunityprojectsandweb-basedanddigitisationinitiatives.MarkingthemillenniumcelebrationofthecompletedversificationoftheShahnameh,orBookofKings,thenationalepicofIran,bythepoetFerdowsi,IHFwillalsoactasprimarysponsoroftheFitzwilliamMuseum’sautumn2010exhibition,Epic of the Persian Kings:The Art of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.Whilemanyoftheyear’sprogrammeswillrevolvearoundtheShahnamehtheme,otherswillrepresentindependenttopicsthatareequallyrelevanttoIranianheritageatlarge.

ItwasanhonourformetobeinvitedtotakealeadershippositionasExecutiveDirectoroftheIHFin2009.IamgratefulfortheprivilegeofservingtheFoundation’sdistinguishedBoardofTrusteesandtoworkwithsuchatalentedgroupofcolleaguesandfriendsintheserviceofaworldwidecommunityofIraniansandnon-Iranianswhosupport,believeinandareimpassionedaboutIranianculture.Iwouldalsoliketoextendmywarmestthankstoallofyoureadingthisreport,foritisyourpastandcontinuedsupportthatensurestheenduranceofthisFoundation.

LadanAkbarnia,PhDExecutiveDirector

In2009,theFoundationexperiencedcontinuedfinancialsuccessinfundingandprogramsupport.

Asignificantportionofourfundscomprisesmulti-yearcontributionsbymembersofourBoardofTrusteesandaselectnumberofinstitutions.WearegratefulforthecontinuedsupportfromBankJuliusBaer,TargetfollowGroupandBalliGroupPlc.Similartopreviousyears,asignificantportionofouroverheadcostswerecoveredbydonationsfromTrustees,enablingustoapplyotherincomingfundsdirectlytoprogrammesupport.

Despitethecreditcrunch,theFoundationwasabletomaintainasteadyrevenuelevel.Ourprogrammecostsincreasedsignificantlytosupportaspectaculararrayofprogrammes,includingtheexhibition,Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iran,attheBritishMuseum.Thesewereinpartsupportedbytargetedfundsraisedinthe previousfinancialyear.

Ouradministrativecostsalsoincreasedsignificantlytoallowtheengagementofafull-timeExecutiveDirector.Theremainderoftheadministrativecostswerekeptatexactlythesamelevelasthepreviousyear.

Welookforwardtoyetanothersuccessfulyearofpartnershipswithallofourstakeholders.Ourheartfeltgratitudegoestoourloyal,generousandexpandingfundingbase,whichsharesIHF’svisionandhelpstransformthatvisionintoareality.

CopiesofauditedaccountsoftheIHFareavailableonrequestfromFoundation’ssecretary.

financial review for 2009

TotalAdministrativeEspenses

General Public,Community,Programmes,Events

UniversityFellowshipAcademicProjects

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

2007 2008 2009

UniversityFellowshipsandAcademicProjects 87 114 123

GeneralPublic/CommunityProgrammes/Events 88 114 356

TotalAdministrativeExpenses 113 161 192

2007

2008

2009

6 2009inReview 7In

stit

uti

onal

Par

tner

ship

s in laTe 2009,IHFlauncheditsInstitutionalPartnershipProgramme,theobjectiveofwhichistoprovideformalisedsupportfortwo-tothree-yearpostsinPersianlanguageand/orartsandculture.ThisinitiativegrewoutofadesiretostreamlinetheFoundation’shistoricallyadhocsupportforfellowshipsatseveralrespectedacademicandculturalinstitutionsbasedintheUnitedKingdomandabroad.IHFalsomeanstoassisttheseinstitutionsindevelopinglongtermteachingpositionsandprogrammesinIranianstudies.Whileanumberoffellowshipscontinuetobesupportedonanadhocbasis,theprogrammeintroducesanewsystemofsupportthatencouragesasharedinvestmentinthefutureofIranianstudiesatselecteduniversitiesandmuseums.Partnerinstitutionsareengagedthroughasharedcommitmentinthecreationandsupportofpositionsandprogrammes,withthehopethattheinstitutionswilleventuallybeabletosustaintheseinitiativesontheirown.ThepostsoftenfillthecriticalgapofPersianlanguageinstruction,butinsomecasestheymaycoverotherdisciplinesoraimtotrainindividualsinspecialisedprofessionssuchasinthecuratorialorconservationfields.TheFoundationaimstosupportawiderangeofpositionsintermsofdisciplines,timeperiodsandsubjectscovered.Itintendstoserveasthelinkbetweentheseparticipatinginstitutionsbyprovidinganannualforumforthesharingofideasandpracticeswitheachotherandbyfacilitatingthecreationofaregionalandinternationalnetworkthatprovidesacombinationofoptionsforstudents,fellowsandfacultyattheinstitutionsaswellasincreasedinteractionandactivitieswiththeFoundationitself.ThefirstfiveinstitutionstoparticipateintheIHFInstitutionalPartnershipInitiativeincludetwomuseumsandthreeuniversities,listedbelow.

iran Heritage foundation curator for tHe iranian collections

Middle East Section, Asian Department, Victoria and Albert MuseumIn2009,DrMoyaCareybecamethefirstIran Heritage Foundation Curatorfor the Iranian CollectionsattheV&A.DrCareyearnedherdoctoratefromtheSchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudies,UniversityofLondon,in2001.ShehasworkedforanumberoforganisationswithimportantIraniancollections,includingthePrinceSadruddinAgaKhanCollection(nowpartoftheAgaKhanMuseumCollection)inGeneva,theChesterBeattyLibraryinDublinandTheBritishMuseuminLondon.DrCareyhasalsotaughtatuniversitylevelatAgaKhanUniversity,SOAS,theSotheby’sInstituteandBirkbeckCollege.DrCarey’snewpostisthefirstmajorcuratorialpositionattheV&AdedicatedexclusivelytotheartsoftheIranianworld.

iran Heritage foundation curatorial fellowsHip

The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DCAtwo-yearcuratorialfellowshippositionhasbeencreatedinpartnershipwiththeFreerandSacklerGalleriesattheSmithsonianInstitutioninWashington,DC.Thepostwillbefilledintheacademicyears2010–11and2011–12andwillbeexclusivelydevotedtotheartsandculturesofIranofanyperiod.ThiswillbethefirstcuratorialpositiondedicatedtotrainingfuturecuratorsofIranianart.TheIHFCuratorialFellowwillbechargedwithconductingresearchontheextensivecollectionattheFreerandSacklerGalleriesaswellasorganisingexhibitionsandpreparingapublicationandmajorsymposiumwithDrMassumehFarhad,ChiefCuratorandCuratorofIslamicArtatthisinstitution.

iran Heritage foundation lecturer in persianlanguage and culture

Institute for Iranian Studies, University of St AndrewsThisthree-yearpostinPersianlanguageandculturewillbefilledintheacademicyear2010–11.TheIHFLecturerinPersianLanguageandCulturewillalsoworkwiththeDirectoroftheInstituteforIranianStudiestodevelop

above

ArthurM.SacklerGallery,SmithsonianInstitution,WashingtonDC

thePersianlanguagelibraryandtoexpandtheIranianstudiesprogrammeattheUniversity,whichcurrentlydemonstratesaninterestandstrengthinIranianstudiesinthedisciplinesofhistoryandanthropology,especiallyofthemodernandcontemporaryperiods,atboththegraduateandpost-graduatelevels.

iran Heritage foundation fellow in persianlanguage and culture

The University of EdinburghAthree-yearfellowshipinPersianlanguageandculturewillallowforthesecuredteachingofPersianlanguage

attheUniversityofEdinburgh,whereIranianstudieshavebeenpursuedwithgreatmomentumforseveralyearsinthedisciplinesofhistoryandarthistoryatgraduateandpost-graduatelevels.

iran Heritage foundation post

University of CambridgeAthree-yearpostrelatedtothedevelopmentofPersianstudiesattheUniversityofCambridgeisalsoscheduledfortheacademicyear2010–11andwillbeannouncedinlate2010.

top leftVictoriaandAlbertMuseum

top rightCambridgeUniversity

bottomUniversityofStAndrews

8 2009inReview 920

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nts in 2009,wecontinuedoureffortstosupportworthyprojectsrelatedtovariousaspectsofIranianculture

undertakenbyindividualsandorganisations.Theseincluded:

– SupportofEncyclopaedia Iranica,amonumentalendeavourwhichtheFoundationhassupportedsinceitsinception.

– SupportofthreeLondon-basedcommunityorganisations,whichareactiveinpromotingIranian

cultureandtheteachingofPersianlanguage.– Subsidiesforthepublicationoforpreparationfor

publicationof10scholarlyworks.– Travelorresearchgrantsfor8scholarstovisitIranfor

thepurposeofresearchinaspectsofIranianartandculture.

– SupportofpreviouslyestablishedfellowshipsatTheBritishMuseumanduniversitiesthroughouttheUnitedKingdom.

– Supporttowardsconventionof2conferences,1conferencepanel,2workshopsandonefilmseries.

encyclopaedia iranica

Encyclopaedia IranicaisaColumbiaUniversityprojectpreparedbytheCenterforIranianStudies.ItisahistoricundertakingasthemostextensivecompendiumeverconceivedonthepastandpresentcultureofthepeoplewhospeakthelanguagesofIranaswellastheircontributiontothebroaderhistoryofhumancivilisation.Infact,itistheonlypreciseandreliableworkonthelands,life,cultureandhistoryofallIranianpeoplesand

theirinteractionswithothersocieties.Theprojectwasconceivedin1973andbeganatColumbiaUniversityin1974.Itisenvisionedtobeachievedin25-30volumes,ofwhich14havebeenpublishedtodate.Toensurethecompletionofthismonumentalwork,theEncyclopaediaIranicaFoundationwasestablishedin1989.FromthebiographiesofnotablemenandwomenineveryfieldofendeavourtodescriptionsofallIraniancitiesandmonuments,fromoilinstallationstomajorbanks,fromZoroastrianscripturestoJewishshrinestoIslamicrituals,fromPersianclassicstomodernnovels,fromIranianfloraandfaunatoPersianmusicandfolklore,fromphilosophyandmysticismtoPersiancalligraphyandPersianandAfghanarchitecture,nostoneisleftunturnedinthisoverviewofIraniancultureandhistory.IranHeritageFoundationhasbeenaconsistentsupporteroftheEncyclopaediaIranicaFoundationsinceitsinception.

fellowsHips

Iran Heritage Foundation Fellowship at the University of ExeterThe2009‒10Iran Heritage Foundation FellowattheUniversityofExeterisDrLeonardLewisohn.AtExeter,DrLewisohnteachestwolanguagecoursesonelementaryandintermediatePersian;thesehavetheultimateaimofintroducingstudentstotherichesofclassicalPersianliterature.TheUniversityofExeterpresentlyhas6studentsinIntermediatePersianand10inElementaryPersianattheIAIS(InstituteofArabandIslamicStudies–UniversityofExeter)whichdemonstratesthegrowinginterestinIranandPersiancultureintheUnitedKingdom.InOctoberthroughDecemberof2009,DrLewisohnalsotaughtacourseentitled,‘TheHistoryandCultureofPersia’,whichcoveredfivethousandyearsofIranianhistoryfromtheearliestElamitekingsdowntotheIslamicRepublic,aswellasacourseentitled,‘SufismandIslamicSpiritualityandDevotionalLife,’agreatdealofwhichwasdevotedtothePersianSufitradition.

Iran Heritage Foundation Fellowship at the University of St AndrewsDrPedramKhosronejadistheGoli Rais Larizadeh Fellow of the Iran Heritage Foundation fortheAntropologyofIranattheUniversityofStAndrews.Inhisdoctoralthesis,DrKhosronejadexploredthemescloselyrelatedtothematerialandvisualcultureofdeaththroughananalysisofobjects,artifactsandespeciallytombstones,aswellasthetechniquesimpliedintheircreationandmanipulationamongtheBakhtiarinomadsofIran.Duringhistenure,hehasbeeninvolvedintheorganisationoftheconference‘VisualRepresentationsofIran,’whichwaslargelysupportedbytheFoundation.

Iran Heritage Foundation Fellowship at The British MuseumThisfellowshipbringsscholarsandmuseumcuratorsspecialisinginthefieldsofIranianart,archaeologyandnumismaticsfromIrantotheBritishMuseumforperiodsofuptofourmonths,enablingthemtousethefacilitiesoftheMuseumandotherinstitutionsintheUnitedKingdomtofurthertheiracademicresearchaswellastostudyandbecometrainedinvariousaspectsofmuseummanagement.Thefellowfor2009‒10isyettobeannounced.

scHools & community

Sinceitsinception,theFoundationhasprovidedsupporttoschoolsandcommunityorganisationsengagedinthepromotionofIranianlanguages,cultureandeducation.

Rustam Iranian SchoolThisschoolwasestablishedin1981inLondonwiththemainaimofprovidingPersianlanguagecoursesforsecondgenerationIraniansintheUnitedKingdom.Aftermanyyearsofdevotedservice,theschoolhasdevelopedintowhatisnowacentreforeducationalandculturalactivitiesfortheIraniancommunityintheUK.RustamSchoolprovidescoursesforchildrenages5andup.Itismanagedbyateamoftwenty-fiveprofessionalteachersandadministratorsandisuniqueamongstallschoolsduetothefacilitiesitprovidesforpupilsandtheirparents.

Library of Iranian StudiesTheLibraryofIranianStudieswasofficiallyopenedinLondonin1991.Atpresent,thelibraryhousesover30,000culturalandpoliticalbooksaswellasotherpublicationsforpublicuse.AlthoughtheseincludemainlyPersianandotherIranianlanguagepublications,thelibraryalsohousesagrowingcollectionofforeignlanguagebooksandpublicationsaboutIran.Forthoseinterestedinacademicresearch,particularlyinIran’scontemporaryhistory,thelibrary’sarchives,whichcontainawealthofpoliticalandculturalpublications,documents,reportsandstatisticalinformation,provideaninvaluableresource.Aswellasbeingbothalendingandareferencelibrary,theLibraryofIranianStudiescurrentlyarrangeslectures,seminarsandarangeofclassesforadultsandchildrencoveringvariousaspectsofIraniancultureandlanguage.

Kanoon Iran KanoonIran,acommunityorganisationwithaveryactivescheduleoflecturesandothereducationalprogrammesonthehistoryandcultureofIran,wasestablishedin1982.ItsaudienceconsistspredominantlyoftheIraniancommunityinLondon.TheorganisationalsooffersPersianlanguageclassesforchildrenages6andup.

Secondary School ProjectTheSecondarySchoolsProject(SSP)aimstofacilitateandpromotetheteachingofAncientPersiaatsecondaryschoolsintheUnitedKingdom.

WhilstthereareanumberofmoduleswithinGCSEClassicsandGCSEAncientHistorythatarebasedonormakereferencestotheAchaemenidDynasty,therearefewobjectiveresourcesavailableonthesubjectforstudentsandteachers.Thefirstphaseofthisproject

10 2009inReview 11

intendstoaddressthisproblembydevelopingandproducinganacademictextbookontheAchaemenidsthatistailoredtowardsGCSEstudents.ThebookwillrelyonliterarycontributionsfromanumberofwellrespectedinternationalscholarsandwillcoverallrelatedtopicsthatarestudiedaspartofGCSEClassicsandAncientHistory.

Uponcompletion,thetextbookwillbemadeavailableasafreeresourceontheinternetanddistributedtohundredsofsecondaryschoolsacrossthecountry.ThesecondphaseofSSPwillaimtosubsidiseschooltripstotheBritishMuseum’sAncientIranGallery.

SSPisleadbyRoyaArab(InstituteofArchaeology,UCL)andsupportedbyIranHeritageFoundation’sFutureGenerationCommittee.Asubcommittee,consistingofsecondaryschoolclassicsteachersaswellasprofessorsfromleadinguniversitiesintheUnitedKingdom,hasbeenformedtooverseethetextbook’scontents.Inaddition,SSPhasreceivedcollaborativesupportfromOCR(theleadingexaminingbodyforGCSE)andtheJointAssociationofClassicsTeachers.

ThisprojectisanaturalextensiontorecentIHFsupportedexhibitionsonAncientPersiaattheBritishMuseum.TheSSPteamisconfidentthatthisprojectwillcultivateanewwaveofinterestamongstsecondaryschoolstudentstostudyIran’shistoryatahigherlevel.

Thetextbook’swritinghasalreadybegun,anditspublicationanddistributionisexpectedtotakeplaceinthesecondhalfof2011.

publications

ThepublicationofspecializedmonographsorotherworksonIranianstudiesisbecominglessandlesscommerciallyviable.TheFoundationthereforeregularlysubsidizesthepublicationofbooksthatdemonstratesufficientmerit.Titlesandprojectsthatreceivedsubsidiesinpreviousperiods,eitherforpublicationorpreparationofpublicationandwhichwerepublishedin2009,includedthefollowing:

– Iran in the 20th century,editedbyTourajAtabaki.Thisworkbringstogetherarangeofrichcontributionsfrominternationalscholarswhocovertheleadingthemesofthehistoriographyof20th-centuryIran.

– Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire,byTourajDarayee.ThisbookexaminesinauniquewayaperiodofhistorythatstillholdsgreatsignificanceforafullunderstandingofmodernIran.

– In The Shadow of the King: Zill Al-Sultan and Isfahan under the Qajars,byHeidiA.Walcher.ThisworkisbothabiographyofoneofthemostcolourfulindividualsinthehistoryofmodernIranandastudyofthesocialandpoliticalcircumstancesoflate19th-centuryIraningeneralandIsfahaninparticular.

Titlesandprojectsinthiscategorythatwereawardedgrantsin2009,included:

– Adding illustrations to “Seeking Knowledge as far as China,” in Iranian Encyclopaedias in the Islamic World, 1100‒1900, by Dagmar Anne Riedel

– Thecreationofawebsiteonthe“PersepolisProject,”aspartoftheMuséeAchéménidevirtueletinteractif(Mavi)’swebsite,tocreateacompleteonlinephotographicdocumentationoftheUNESCOworldheritagesiteofPersepolisbyPierreBriant

– TheParthian Coin Project,whichaimstoenterdataon17,000coinsandpublicationsinthecollectionofTheBritishMuseum,byElizabethPendleton

– ThecreationofadatabaseforIranianIlkhanidandTimuridcoinsoftheIslamicperiodintheBritishMuseum,byParamdipKhera

– Into Tartary: Observation and Imagination (18th Century British Travellers to Russia, Daghestan and Central Asia),byBeatriceTeissier

– AnelectronicannotatedcatalogueofthemanuscriptsinvolvingPersianscientificworksandtheirGeorgiantranslationsfromthedepositoriesofGeorgia,byTamarAbuladze

– Second String Quartet, based on the Regional Folk Music of the Bakhtiyari,byMehdiHosseiniBami

– The Bakhtiari: Nomads who ruled Iran, A photographic history,byCarolineMawer

– ThedigitisationandpublicationofaphotographicarchiveofSassanianrockreliefshousedintheBritishMuseum,byBrunoOverlaet

– Persian Gardens and Pavilions: Reflections in Poetry, History and Painting,byMohammadGharipour

researcH & travel grants

Researchortravelgrantswereawardedtothefollowingindividualsin2009:

– TheresaStewart,forresearchonself-censorshipandmusicinIran

– MohammadYusufSiddiq,forafieldworkstudyofPersianinscriptionsonstoneslabsoftheeasternfrontierofSouthAsia

– RoseEdithWellman,forresearchonculinaryrelationsincreatingkinshipandnationinIran

– AzarLaghaei,toinvestigatemodernityversustraditioninthecontemporarylandscapeofIran

– JamesGustafson,forresearchonthepoliticsofhouseholdsinlateQajarperiodKerman

– LaetitiaNanquette-Bif,topresentapaperatthe2010InternationalSocietyforIranianStudies(ISIS)conferenceinLosAngelesonthequestionof‘genre’

amongIranianwritersinFrance MichaelChagnon,forresearchontheproduction

ofillustratedmanuscriptsinseventeenth-centuryMashhad

MichaelWilliamGregg,toinvestigatetheroleofpotteryinthetransitionfromhuntingtoherdinginthenarrowgeographiccorridorlinkingtheMiddleEastwithCentralAsia

conferences and worksHops

In2009,grantswereawardedtothefollowingindividualsinsupportofconferences,conferencepanels,andworkshops:

– AlbertoCantera,oftheUniversidaddeSalamanca,towardtheorganisationofaconferenceintheUniversityofSalamancaonthe‘TransmissionofHolyWisdominZoroastrianism’

– MoyaCarey,oftheV&A,foraconferencepanelonIslamicartandarchitectureatthe2010annualconferenceoftheAssociationofArtHistoriansinGlasgow,entitled,‘VisualCultureoftheMedievalMiddleEast:IslamicArtNow?’

– RogerMathews,ofUCL,foraworkshopontheneolithisationofIrananditssocio-culturaltransformation,atthe7thInternationalCongressontheArchaeologyoftheAncientNearEast(ICAANE)inLondon

– CameronPetrie,oftheUniversityofCambridge,foraworkshopcommemoratingProfessorAliHakemi’sworkatShahdad,amajorprehistoricBronzeAgecentrediscoveredattheedgeoftheDasht-eLut,andfortyyearsofexcavationsinsoutheastIran

– SanazRaji,PhDcandidate,UniversityofLeeds,tocurateafilmseriesconcerningtheIraniandiaspora,showcasingtheemergingtalentfromIranianmigrantcommunities

12 2009inReview 13

In spite of that considerable temporal distance, we come away

from it feeling that we understand not only the past of that

country much better, but also its present. By the careful, clear

and intelligent way in which the examination is conducted,

there seems to be no discontinuity between what was then,

and what is now.

Michael Glover,Guardian

We… often think of Iran in terms of darkness, as if through the

blackness of the veil. This is an exhibition to shine a corrective

light onto that idea.

Tim Adams,The Observer

Shah ‘Abbas – The Remaking of Iran, elegantly pulls the Persian

rug from beneath the feet of the politicians, bypassing their

ossified dealings with Iran to give us a vivid insight into the

modern nation through the achievements of its greatest ruler,

400 years ago.

Duncan Macmillan, Scotsman

When this great prince ceased to live, Persia ceased to prosper.

Jean Chardin,French Traveller to the Safavid Court.

Mu

lti-

Dis

cip

linar

y Ev

ents

exHibition and related events

Legacy and MagnificenceThisprogrammeofeventsorganisedbyTheBritishMuseumandIranHeritageFoundationcelebratedthemagnificenceandlegacyofShah‘Abbas’sreign(1587‒1629CE).Theseprogrammes,combinedwithrecordvisitationlevelsfortheexhibitionandtheextensivemediacoveragethatvariouseventsreceived,wereextremelyeffectiveinraisingawarenessaboutthesophisticationofthematerialculture,theadvancedconceptsofgovernmentandadministration,aswellasthediplomaticstandingofIraninthe17thcenturyandprovidedaninsightintopoliticalsocialandreligiousthemeswhichcontinuetorunthroughandshapeeventsandopinionswithinIran,thebroaderMiddleEastandCentralAsia.

The venue for all events was The British Museum.

exHibition

Shah‘AbbaswasthemosteminentruleroftheSafaviddynastyofthePersianEmpire,whowithhismilitarysuccessesandefficientadministrativesystem,raisedIrantothestatusofagreatpower.Whenhedied,hisdominionsextendedfromtheTigristotheIndus.ToestablishPersiaasahomogeneousstate,heenforcedadherencetoShi‘ismandmadePersiantheunifyinglanguagethroughouttheland.Thoughsomeconsideredhimacrueldespot,hewasneverthelessfar-sightedandreligiouslytolerant.HerelocatedArmenianmerchantstoIsfahansettingthemtoworkonexportingsilkandtextiletoEurope.

Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iranofferednewappraisaloftheruler’slifeandreignthroughartworks,someofwhichcametoLondonforthefirsttime.Throughtheexhibition,Shah‘Abbas’personalitywaspresentedfromtheperspectiveofhisenormousarchitecturalachievementsasappliedtoreligioussites,

hisgiftstotheshrinesofArdebil,MashhadandQomandhisattemptsatunifyingdisparatepeoplethroughhisculturalprojectsandhisapproachtogovernance.

TheexhibitioncuratedbySheilaCanbywasdisplayedintheoldReadingRoom,adomedstructuremuchliketheshrinesfromwheretheworkscamefrom.Thespacewasdividedintofourparts,thefirstdealingwithhistoryandtheotherthreededicatedtothecitiesinwhichthedifferentshrinesarelocated.ThefirstsectionwasdominatedbythelifesizeportraitofSirRobertSherleyandhiswifeTeresiainfullPersianregalia,showingoffthesumptuousPersiansilksandtextilestestifyingtothemercantileboomoftheperiod.AsaMuslimruler,Shah‘Abbasdidnotleavepublicpaintingsorsculpturesofhimself,butaglimpseofhimappearedinadelicatewatercolourimage,whereheisshownembracingabeardlessyoungmanwhooffershimabowlofwine.A coupletofverseinthebackgroundreferringtothe‘lipsofthebeloved’wastellingandprovidedtheviewerwithaninsightastowhatthemanmighthavebeenlike:toughasaleaderbutsophisticatedinprivate,bothpiousandlibertineinnature.ThesectionalsoincludedapersonalletterwhichShah‘AbbassenttoCharlesIaskingthekingnottobesuspiciousofIranianmerchants!

Aseriesofcalligraphicworksofliterarytexts,illuminatedfrontispiecestoQur’ansandacoupleofminiaturepaintingsbysuchartistsasthecelebratedRiza‘AbbasiguidedtheviewerintotheArdebilsection.ArdebilcontainsthetombofShaykhSafi,aSufimysticandancestorofShah‘Abbas.Italsocontainedalodgefordervisheswhofollowedtheshaykh’steachings.UnderShah‘Abbas,theimportanceofthiscomplexgrew.Therulergavenumerousgiftstotheshrine,includingacollectionofvaluableChineseporcelainsproducedundertheMingdynasty,aseriesofwhichformedthecentrepieceoftheexhibition.Thesedecorativepiecesweredisplayedintailor-madenichesinsideawallofthemosqueatArdebil.However,toshowthatthesevesselswerenotsolelydecorative,aminiaturepaintingresting

sHaH ‘abbas: tHe remaking of iran

Lastyearpicture

14 2009inReview 15

Page 14, topViewofthetiledwallonthewestsideof‘thecourtyard’ShrineofShaykhSafi,Ardabil,Iran

Page 14, bottom AlamIran,firsthalfofthe17thcenturyResaAbbasiMuseum

Page 15, top rightYouthreadingRiza-yi‘Abbasi,Isfahan,c.1625–6TheBritishMuseum

Page 15, top leftRobertSherleyUnknownBritishartist,before1628TrusteesoftheBerkeleyWillTrust

exhibitionthroughalltypesofartforms,includingcalligraphy,weaving,metalworkandarchitecturaldecorationandshowedthatIranianartatthistimewaswellsupportedandimportant.

Inthemiddleoftheexhibitionspace,tallscreensabovebenchesdividingtwosectionsdisplayedgeometricandvegetalmotifs.Imagesofthe architecturaljewelsofIsfahanwereprojectedtothesescreens,givingasenseoftheiroverallgrandeur.The exhibitiondesigncertainlyrivalledtheexquisiteartsdisplayedandtogetherwiththoseworkshelpedbringanunderstandingnotjustaboutIran’spast,butalsoitspresent.

tHe world of sHaH ‘abbas

SymposiumPlannedinconjunctionwiththespecialexhibition,Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iran,thissymposiumcoveredtheperiodofShah‘AbbastheGreat,whoruledIranfrom1587to1629,fromavarietyofpointsofview.ThisperiodisrecognisedasoneofgreatimportancenotonlyforartandarchitecturebutalsofortheexpansionoftradeintoEuropeandAsia,thereinforcementofIran’sbordersandtheestablishmentoftheruleoflaw.TheseandmanyotheraspectsofthereignofShah‘Abbaswereexploredinthesymposium.Thankstorecentlydiscoveredhistoricaltexts,someofthepapersreassessedShah‘Abbas’placeinhistory.OthersconsideredtheartofIraninthisperiodanditsimpactontheartsinTurkey

andIndia.Theeconomic,religiousandlegalaspectsofShah‘Abbas’reignwerealsodiscussed.WhiletwodayscouldnotpossiblyexhaustthenumberoftopicsrelevanttotheperiodofShah‘Abbas,thesymposiumcertainlyprovidedawell-roundedviewofthisruler’sachievementsandhistoricallegacy.Paperswerepresentedwithinthecontextof10panelswithsome20scholarsfromFrance,Iran,Turkey,theUnitedKingdomandtheUnitedStatesofAmericadeliveringpapersatthissymposium.

takHti and tHe ZurkHaneH

Study SessionTocoincidewiththespecialexhibition,astudydayattheBritishMuseumofferedacontemporaryperspectiveonIranianhistory,religionandculture.MuseumcuratorsandotherexpertsdiscussedthesignificanceofTakhtiandthezurkhaneh,thetraditionalgymnasiumwherewrestlingandothersportswerepractised,itssignificanceincontemporaryIranianart,aswellasthetraditionofcommissioningandofferinggiftstoreligiousshrinesinIran.AttheheartofthisstudysessionwasaspecialdisplayofKhosrowHassanzadeh’sTakhti,whichwasrecentlyacquiredbytheBritishMuseum,withtheartistdiscussinghiswork.FollowinganintroductionbycuratorVenetiaPorteroftheBritishMuseum,DrLloydRidgeon,ReaderinIslamicStudiesattheUniversityofGlasgow,talkedaboutthezurkhanehanditssignificance

inthesamecabinetdepicteddervisheseating,drinkingandwashingfromthesamevessels.Alate17th-centuryIraniandishwiththedesignofasimpleflowerinwhiteslipagainstablueglazefurtheremphasisedtheinspirationChineseporcelainsprovidedtolocalpotters.

FromtheMashhadshrinecameexquisitemetalworks;a17th-centurylantern,anopenwork‘alam(areligiousstandardbroughtoutonholydays),severalengravedcan-dleandlampstandsaswellasmorecalligraphicworksandabeautifulcarpetwovenofsilkwithintricatedecorativeborders,embellishedwiththreadsofsilverandgold.Ex-quisitesilkbrocadesweredisplayedintheQomsection.

TheentireexhibitiontestifiedtoShah‘Abbas’massiveprogrammeofculturalpatronageandtheoriginalstylehenurtured.The‘Isfahanstyle’ofgeometricpatternsandmotifsinvolvingarabesquesofstylizedlotusflowersandothervegetalformswasrepresentedinthe

16 2009inReview 17

intermsofIranianidentity,discussingelementsofShi‘ism,SufismandIraniannationalism.IndependentscholarDrShivaBalaghithenexploredrepresentationsofmasculinityincontemporaryIranianart.ThestudysessionwasfollowedbyademonstrationofthetraditionalIraniansportbytheZurkhaneh-yeIranBastanintheGreatCourtoftheMuseum.

from safavid persia to modern iran: culture, politics, religion

Lecture SeriesAfive-partlectureseriesplannedinconjunctionwiththespecialexhibition.RizwanMawanigaveatalkonthedifferentformof‘organisedmysticism’(Sufism,TasawwuforIrfan)incontemporaryIranandexploredthewaysinwhichthesetypesoffaithareexpresseduponthelargercanvasofPersianpiety.RobertHillenbrandexaminedthenatureofrecreationalbuildingsintheSafavidera,exploringthewaysinwhichthedistinctiveleisuredambienceofShah‘Abbas’Safavidcourtwascreatedthroughwoodandtextilesinbothtemporaryandpermanentstructures.EdwardFaridanyretoldtheextraordinarytaleofRobertSherley,whoarrivedatthecourtofShah‘Abbasin1598attheageof18beginningalifetime’sserviceastheruler’srovingambassador.In1601,Shah‘AbbasperformedpilgrimagefromIsfahantotheshrineoftheeighthShi‘aImamRizainMashhad.CarolineMawer,whohasretracedtheroutebyvehicleaswellaswalkingsignificantsectionsoftheroute,gaveafascinatinginsightintomedievaltravelalongthePersianSilkRoadandintotheitinerantcourtofShah‘Abbas,whilePenelopeHobhouseuncoveredhowShah‘Abbasandhissuccessorsusedthegridsystemtocreategardensofgreatbeautywithcentralpavilionsforluxuriousentertaining.

Evening DebatesEmpire of the mind and soul: What does modern Iran owe to Shah ‘Abbas?TheBritishMuseum/GuardianPublicForumUsingtheexhibitionasthestartingpoint,ahigh-profilepanel,chairedbyJonSnow,writerandbroadcaster,discussedthebroaderissuesrelatingtocontemporaryIran.SpeakersincludedAzadehMoaveni,journalistandwriter,Ata’ollahMohajerani,historian,writerandformerIranianMinisterofCultureandIslamicGuidance,ElahehRostami-Povey,LecturerinDevelopmentStudiesatUniversityofLondon,andCharlesMelville,ProfessorofPersianHistory,UniversityofCambridge.AnintroductionbyNeilMacGregor,DirectoroftheBritishMuseum,openedthedebate.

Who rules Iran?TheBritishMuseum/LondonReviewofBooksAttheLondonReviewofBooksdiscussion,apanelofhighlyregardedwriters,theoristsandhistorianscritiqueddemocracyandidentityinIran.ThiseventraninconjunctionwiththeLondonReviewofBooks,whichexplorestheconnectionsbetweenliterature,history,artandpolitics.SpeakersincludedthehistorianErvandAbrahamian,BaronessHalehAfsharoftheDepartmentofPolitics,UniversityofYorkandSOASResearchAssociateZibaMir-Hosseini.

Evening FilmsTheevolvingroleofcinemainforgingnationalidentityincontemporaryIranwasexploredinaseriesoffilmsbyacclaimedIraniandirectors,allscreenedattheBritishMuseum.TheseconsistedofCrimson Gold,byJafarPanahi,At Five in the AfternoonbySamiraMakhmalbaf,Persepolis,byMarjanSatrapiandVincentParonnaud,Divorce Iranian Style,byKimLonginottoandZibaMir-Hosseini,andThe Colour of Paradise,byMajidMajidi.

Organized by The British Museum in association with Iran Heritage Foundation and in partnership with the National Museum of Iran and The Iranian Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization

Page16 ShaykhSafidancestotheesotericwordsofShamsaal-DinTuti–Shiraz,1582CollectionoftheAgaKhanMuseum

Page 17 topHRHPrinceofWales,ChairmanVahidAlaghband,TrusteeFaradAzima,TrusteeArdeshirNaghshineh

Page 17 bottomHRHPrinceofWalesandSheilaCanby

special reception and private view by HrH prince of wales

TheIHFhadthegreatprivilegeofhostingHRHthePrinceofWalesasitsguestofhonourataspecialreceptionandprivateviewoftheShah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of IranexhibitionattheBritishMuseum.

VahidAlaghband,theChairmanoftheIHF,accompaniedbyFaradAzima,ChiefExecutive,ArdeshirNaghshineh,TrusteeandPatron,LordGowrie,ChairoftheAdvisoryBoardandNeilMacGregor,DirectoroftheBritishMuseum,metHRHuponarrivaltotheJohnAddisGalleryofIslamicArtandintroducedtheTrusteesandinvitedPatrons.HRHthenvisitedtheexhibitionaccompaniedbytheChairman,theDirectorandDrSheilaCanby,Curatoroftheexhibition.

HRHisknownforhiskeeninterestintheculturalandliteraryheritageofIran.HecommendedtheIHFforitsexemplarypartnershipwiththeBritishMuseuminbringingShah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of IranexhibitiontoLondon.

18 2009inReview 19

leftChristinevanRuymbekeandMr.Bartlett(presentownerofthehouseofFitzGeraldatWoodbridge)

belowDickDavis,OhioStateUniversity

Conferencedelegates

conference

Therevolutionof1979thatbroughtabouttheIslamicRe-publichasproducedprofoundyetcontradictorychangesinthesocialandculturalspheresofIranianlife.Whilereli-giousideologyandrevolutionaryfervourremainthecredoofthestate,theyoungergenerationthatmakesupseventypercentofthepopulationappearsneitherveryrevolution-arynorveryideologicalinanyclassicsense;atthesametime,Iran’syouthseemstobeinventinganewpoliticsforthe21stcentury.Theencountersbetweenreligioustradi-tionandsecularmodernity,betweenoldwaysofseeingandnewtechnologies,havealonghistoryinIran;yettheyhavebecomemorepronouncedoverthepastthirtyyearsasareligiousstateattemptstoreconfigurepubliclifeattheverymomentthatglobalizingtrendsinideasandimagesarefeltinsideIran.Thisconferencefocusedonsuchcontradic-torydevelopmentsinthesocialandculturallivesofIranianssincetherevolutionbybringingsomeofthebest-knownpractitionersinthemediaandcontemporaryartsinsideIrantogetherwithacademiciansandtheoreticiansofthesedevelopmentsinauniqueencounter.Thefirstdayfocusedmainlyonsocialissuesandchangingvaluesaroundwomenandyoungpeople,whiletheseconddayexaminednovelformsofculturalexpression,includingrapmusicandblogging.Fourplenarysessionsexploredresearchoncon-temporaryIran(historical,theoreticalandmethodologicalissues);thevisualarts;newrolesforwomen;andmusicanddance.Inaddition,seventeenbreakawaysessionscoveredthemesasdiverseasTehranitself,entitled:Cul-turalChange;Journalism;MediaandBlogs;Masculinities;Cinema;Comedy;JokesandLaughter;Media;BlogsandPolitics;DiasporasandMinorities;ContemporaryCinema;Stand-UpComedy;Women’sRightsandWrongs;ArtandPerformance;CivilSociety;PublicSphereandDemocracy;andUrbanandRuralWomen.

film screenings

Asasupplementtotheconference,wheremanyofthemainpractitionersandacademicsinthefieldofMediaandFilmstudiesexploredthissignificantcontemporarysceneinIran,therewasatwo-dayscreeningofcontemporaryshortfilmsfromIranandtheDiaspora.Twentyeightfilmswereshown,coveringsuchthemesasyouth,women,artsandenvironment.

tHirty years on: tHe social and cultural impacts of tHe iranian revolution

post conference celebration

A Little Bit Iranian: An Anglo-Iranian Comedy Special The Iranian Underground―Live Music from IranPostconference,theBruneiGalleryatSOAShostedacomedyextravaganza,featuringtwoofthemostcelebratedAnglo-Iraniancomedians,ShappiKhorsandiandPatrickMonahan,withanintroductionbyPoonehGhodousiofBBCPersianTV,aswellasanightoflivemusicfeaturingsomeofthebestalternativeundergroundbands,SimorghandFont.OneofthemostalternativeandoriginalbandstocomeoutofIran,Simorgh’sliveshowendedwiththeunanimouscriesof‘encore’.Font,afive-personIndiebandfromTehran,performedtheirfirstofficialgigoutsideofIran.TheyproducedavivaciousliveactrecallingthebestdaysofBritishindieandguitarpop.

The conference took place at SOAS and was convened by Annabelle Sreberny, Professor of Global Media and Communication, and Massoumeh Torfeh, Research Associate, both of SOAS. It was organized by the Centre for Media and Film Studies at SOAS in association with Iran Heritage Foundation and supported by the BBC World Service Trust, The London Middle East Institute, The Documentary Experimental Film Center, The Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran - London, the Al Tajir Foundation and the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association.

omar kHayyam, fitZgerald and tHe Rubaiyat

Conference

AWAKE! For Morning in the Bowl of NightHas flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:And Lo! The Hunter of the East has caughtThe Sultan’s Turret in a Noose of Light.

Quatrain1

Here with a loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,A Flask of Wine, A Book of Verse―and ThouBeside me singing in the Wilderness –And Wilderness is Paradise enow.

Quatrain11

2009markedthebicentenaryofthebirthofEdwardFitzGerald(1809)andthe150thanniversaryofthepublicationofthefirsteditionofThe Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam(1859).The Rubaiyat,ratherlooselybasedontheversesattributedtoOmarKhayyam,isahouseholdnameandoneofthemostwidelyknownpoemsintheworld.Ithasbeenrepublishedvirtuallyeveryyearfrom1879(theyearofFitzGerald’s4thedition)tothepresentdayandtranslatedintoover80differentlanguages.

InJuly2009,afour-day,two-cityconferencewasorganizedbytheUniversityofCambridge(FacultyofAsianandMiddleEasternStudiesandFacultyofEnglish,inassociationwithIranHeritageFoundation)incollaborationwiththePersianDepartmentattheUniversityofLeiden(TheNetherlands).InLeiden,the

emphasislayonthelifeandworkofOmarKhayyam,whileinCambridge,theconferenceexaminedthelifeandworkofFitzGeraldatTrinityCollege,wherethewriterhadbeenastudent.

TheCambridgepartoftheprogrammeopenedwithaneveningatoneofthe6th-Formcolleges,withadisplayoftheresultsoftheartclassesandaremarkableeveningofdance,musicandvideoinspiredbyFitzGerald’spoem,followedbyabuffetreceptionandanawardceremonybytheconferenceorganisers.Thenexttwodayssawalectureprogrammeopentothepublicwithpresentationsbyacademicsofinternationalstanding,concernedwithbothEnglish

andPersianliterature.Paperswerepresentedatsixpanelsonthefollowingtopics:HistoricalandLiterarycontext,Close-readingofthePoemI,Close-readingofthePoemII,TheReceptionofthePoem,TheInfluenceonEnglishliteratureandEditionsofthePoem.AkeynotespeechwasdeliveredbyDickDavis,ProfessorofPersianandChairoftheDepartmentofNearEasternLanguagesandCulturesatOhioStateUniversity.ScholarsinEnglishandPersianliteraturefoundtheopportunitytoconfronttheirviewsandunderstandingoftheworkofthisfamousEnglish-Persianpoem.TheconferenceparticipantswerealsoinvitedtotakepartinaprivatevisittoFitzGerald’shouseinWoodbridge.TheAncientIndiaandIranTrustatCambridgewelcomedthe

conferenceparticipantsandpublicatagardenpartyandtheconferencewoundupwithaseateddinnerfortheparticipantsatPembrokeCollege,whereProfessorCharlesMelvillethusdeliveredhisconcludingspeech!

AWAKE! For Evening in the Grip of Night,Has filled the Cup that puts our Sleep to Flight,For lo! The ‘College of the East’ has soughtTo charm you with our Company polite.

Here, with a Breast of Duck within the Hall,A Glass of Wine, and helpings big and small,Before me, smiling in the Company –It really is so Good to see you ALL!!

The conference was convened by Christine van Ruymbeke, Lecturer in Persian Studies, Adrian Poole, Professor of English and Charles Melville, Professor of Persian History, all of Cambridge University, in memoriam of Professor Peter Avery OBE and was organized by The Soudavar Cambridge Fund for Persian Studies, The British Institute of Persian Studies, Iran Heritage Foundation, The Department of Middle Eastern Studies at FAMES, the Faculty of English, The Ancient India and Iran Trust, Trinity College, Pembroke College and ‘Cambridgeshire Culture’ Cambridgeshire County Council.

20 2009inReview 21

far leftFacsimileofthebejewellededitionmadebySangorski&Sutcliffe

aboveCelebrationnightatBritishLibrary

lefyLobatVala

transit teHran: art and documentary from teHran

Transit Tehran: Young Iran and its Inspirations ExhibitionLikemanyothermajorcapitalcitiesoftheworld,Tehranisacityofcontrastswherethetraditionalandthemodernlivesidebyside.ButthemultifacetedandsophisticatedTehranisrarelyseenoutsideIran. Transit Tehran: Young Iran and its Inspirations,anexhibitionofphotography,artanddocumentaryfilms,triedtoillustratethemanyaspectsofsocialandculturallifeinTehran.IranianartistsSadegh TirafkanandKhosrow Hassanzadeh;photographersNewsha Tavakolian,Abbas Kowsari,Javad Montazeri,Majid Saeedi,Kian Amani,Omid Salehi,Peyman HooshmanzadehandKaveh GolestanandgraphicnovelistParsua Bashibroughtthecitytolifethroughart,painting,illustration,portraiture,photojournalism,historyandmemoirs. Theexhibition’sphotography,artanddocumentaryfilmeveningsformedacontemporarydepictionofTehranthatdrewonIran’srichvisualandculturalheritage,traditionallyaplaceofresistancethroughoutthecountry’slonghistoryofpoliticalturmoil.

Transit I: Documentary Film Programme AseriesofshortdocumentaryfilmsdrawingonIran’srichvisualandculturalheritageaccompaniedtheexhibition.

Tehran Has No More PomegranatesDirectedbythenewcomerMassoudBakhshi,Tehran Has No More Pomegranateswasatoncesuffusedwithadizzyingarrayofphotographsandneverbeforeseenarchivefilmfromthepastcentury,bringingtogether(withawittyvoiceoverandapulsatingmusicalscorebyMohsenNamjoo)apoeticcollageofagreatcitymetropolis.Shotoverfiveyearsanddeployingarangeofexperimentalfilmdevices,itcapturedwithhumourandrazor-sharpobservationthetransformationofTehranfromruralvillagetocityofdreams.ThefilmwasintroducedbyJamesNeil,followedbyaQ+AconductedbyJonSnow.Online AyatollahDirectedbyMaziarBahari,aCanadian/Iranianjournalist,Online AyatollahwasashortdocumentaryshowingadayinthelifeofGrandAyatollahYoussefSanei,revealingatraditionalholymanofferingverymodernadvice,thussheddinglightononeofthemostmisunderstoodprofessionsinIran;thatofreligiousclerics.

below leftFilmposter

below rightWhispersoftheEast2007

tHe rubaiyat of omar kHayyam

ExhibitionTheRubaiyatofOmarKhayyamisaphenomenonuniqueinpublishinghistory:abookofpoetrypublishedanonymouslynearly150yearsago,purportingtobethetranslationofan11th-centuryPersianwork.Thetexthasremainedalmostcontinuouslyinprintsinceitsfirsteditionin1859andhasstimulatedatleast130illustratorstotrytoilluminatetheversesitcontains.

Inconjunctionwiththeworld-widecelebrationofthe150thanniversaryofitsfirstpublication,asmallexhibitionoftheRubaiyatholdingsoftheBritishLibrarywasmountedattheFolioSocietyGalleryoftheBritishLibrary.ThisexhibitionwasconceivedtotellthestoryofOmarKhayyamandshowedhowthetranslatedRubaiyatbecameaworldwidesuccess,howdifferentillustratorshaveapproachedthetaskofinterpretingtheindividualthemesandtopicsofthisfascinatingpoem,thusprovidingahistoryofthechangesinbookillustration,mostlyinBritainandAmerica,overthepastcenturyandahalf.TheexhibitsincludedthefirstAmericanillustratedversionbythecelebratedElihuVeder,theexquisiteversionjointlydonebyWilliamMorrisandthegreatPre-RaphaeliteartistEdwardBurne-JonesandafacsimileofthebejewelededitionmadebySangorski&Sutcliffe,boughtbyanAmerican,whichsankwiththeTitaniconitsmaidenvoyageacrosstheAtlantic.

AneveningofpackedanddiverseprogrammescelebratingOmarKhayyam’smeditationonlife,death,happinessandthepleasuresofimbibingwasfurtherorganizedaroundtheexhibitionanditsgreatEnglish

translation.TheeveningfeaturedreadingsinPersianbyLobatValaandscholarNarguessFarzad;performanceoflivePersianclassicalmusicbyVidaEdalatandtheSabaEnsemble;arecitationofEdwardFitzgerald’sRubaiyatbyactorsEmilyBruniandMichaelMaloneywithintroductionstoOmarKhayyamhimselfbyFrançoisdeBloisandtoEdwardFitzgeraldbyTonyBriggs,editorofthemostrecenteditionofthepoem.

The exhibition was organized by the British Library with the evening programme presented in association with Iran Heritage Foundation.

22 2009inReview 23

leftGirlPowerNewshaTavakolian,2006

rightHajAmjadbyOmidSalehi,2000

bottomWomenPoliceCadets,AbbasKowsari,2005

CountdownDirectedbyKhaterehHanachi,Countdownwasafly-on-the-walldocumentaryabout18-year-oldParisaPouladi,whoisburiedinherbooksdayandnight,preparingforthenationalcollegeentranceexam.AlongwithmorethanamillionotherIranianhighschoolgraduates,Parisahopeshighmarkssecureheraplaceinatop-notchuniversity.Lessthanhalfofallthestudentstakingtheexamwillpass.Astheexamdrawsnear,Parisa’sparents’household–likethousandsofothersacrossthecountry–beginstoimplode.

Transit Tehran – Lecture ProgrammeTransitII:Lecture-Young Iran: Pictures, politics and storiesMaluHalasa,curatoroftheexhibitionandco-editor(withMaziarBahari)ofthebookTransit Tehran: Young Iran and Its Inspirationsgaveanillustratedtalkexplainingtheideabehindtheexhibition,whichwastotellthestoryofthetransformationofTehranthroughtheeyesandwordsofIranianartists.ThetalkwasfollowedbyaQ&A.

Film

an

d P

erfo

rmin

g A

rts

frontier blues

FilmProducedbySaadiSoudavarandGinevraElkannwithbackingfromtheFoundation,Frontier Blues isafilmwrittenanddirectedbyBabakJalali.ThefilmwasshotoutsideGorgan(Dasht-eGorgan)andwassubmittedtotheCannesFilmFestivalwhereitreceivedprivilegedscreening.ThestorytakesplaceonthenorthwestfrontierofIranborderingTurkmenistan,aforlornregioncharacterisedbyitssweepingsteppelandscape,CaspianhinterlandandaninterestingmixofTurkmen,KazakhandFarsculturesneverfeaturedinIraniancinemauntilnow.Thefilmseamlesslyweavestogetherfourdifferentstories,beautifullyshotindeadpantableauxthathumorouslyrecountthedoldrumsoflongingandwaiting(withouteverreachingaparticulardestination)incontemporaryIran.

Produced by Ginevra Elkan, Saadi Soudavar and Homayoun Assadian and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation and an array of international patrons of the Iranian arts.

iranian cinema: gender, nation and narration

Film ScreeningsAselectionoffilms,focusingonthesocialandemotionallivesofwomenincontemporaryIran,bypre-andpost-revolutionarydirectorswhoseworkhastakenthecinematicworldbystorm,werescreenedinLondon,providinganintenseandimpressiveinsightintothe

repressionexperiencedbywomeninIran.ThescreeningsincludedAbbasKiarostami’slandmarkTen,which,throughtenconversationsbetweenafemaledriverinTehranandherpassengers,exploresthepotentialofdigitaltechnologywithilluminatingandexhilaratingresults.OtherfilmsscreenedincludedThe May Lady,byRakhshanBaniEtemad;The Hidden Half,byTahminehMilani;andthreefilmsbyManijehHekmat:Women’s Prison,Me, My Room and MyFriendsandThreeWomen.ThelastthreefilmswerefollowedbyaQ&Asessionwiththedirector.TheprogrammewasconvenedbyDrSaeedTalajooy,UCLMellonFellow.

The event was organised by the UCL Mellon Programme and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation.

top and bottom

FrontierBlues,

DirectedbyBabakJalali

Organized by LSE Arts, Prince Claus Fund Library, Parallax Media, BBC World Service Trust, Off Centre Productions and Parallax Media and Harvard International PLC in collaboration with Iran Heritage Foundation.

24 2009inReview 25

a nigHt in teHran

Film Premiere and Book Launch‘Youknownothingaboutourcountry.Comein,beentertainedandlearn.’SuchisthecollectiveclaimofagroupofyoungIranianfilmmakers.Foronenightonly,threefilmsbythisgroupwerepremieredinthreedifferentlocationswithintheUnitedKingdom,includingLondon,ManchesterandBristol.Thereceptionofthefilmsbythepublicwasphenomenal.Thefilms

werefast-pacedandentertainingandintroducedtheviewertoanewIranandanewformoffilmmakinginthecountrythirtyyearsaftertherevolution,openingawindowtoaspectsofIranthatarerarelycoveredinmediareportsaboutthecountry.OneofthethreefilmsshownwasAlaMohseni’sMy City Pizza,whichshowcasesthefascinationofTehraniswithpizzaassomethingmorethanjustfood,asignofmodernity,anobjectofdesireandapotentialthreatagainsttraditionalvalues.Another,ShahriarSiami’sOf Men and MotorcyclesfollowsthelifeofAbbas,amigrantfromtheprovinces,who,likemanyyoungIranians,cannotlandadecentjobexcepttoworkonamotorcycleasacabbieanddeliveryman,navigatingthedangeroustrafficofTehraninordertosupporthisfamily.Thethirdfilm,SaharSalahshoori’sBehind the Wheel of Life,chroniclesthestoryofanothercabdriver,thistimeawoman,andthedailystrugglesshefacesasasinglemotheranddivorcée.ThefilmswereproducedbyMaziarBahariwiththesupportofBBCWorldServiceTrust.ThescreeninginLondonwasfollowedbyaQ&Asessionwiththedirectors,conductedbyreporterJonSnow.

The book Transit Tehran, Young Iran and Its Inspirations, the research for which was made possible by a grant from Iran Heritage Foundation, was launched in conjunction with these films.

A truly insightful account of the real Iran, the Iran we never hear above the hubbub of rhetoric and allegation. This is the Iran so many of us who travel there know and both admire and think about. It is the Iran that defies politics and economics and remains somehow simply Persian.Jon Snow,Channel Four News

A wonderfully illustrative view of Iran’s young, hip and avant garde. Westerners take note: They are here and will be heard.Fareed Zakaria,EditorofNewsweek International

The event was organized and presented by BBC World Service Trust, Parallax Media, Off Center Productions and the Prince Claus Fund Library with Curzon Cinemas, supported by Arts Council England, Garnet Publishing and Iran Heritage Foundation.

top and bottom leftMaluHalasa,ShahriarSiami,JonSnow,MaziarBahari

bottom rightFilmposter

sHirin

FilmKiarostami’snewfilmShirinwasaretellingoftheclassicPersianlovestoryKhosrowandShirinbyNezami.Itofferedafeastofawhollyunexpectedkindfortheimagination.Theaudiencesawthefilmthroughthedramaplayedoutonthefacesoftheaudiencefeaturedinthefilmitself,seeninclose-up,mostlyoneatatime,illuminatedbytheflickeringlightofthescreen.Amesmerisingseriesofportraitsofwomenyoungandoldensued,theirexpressionsvariouslywistful,quizzical,amusedorenraptured.Theunseenfilm’simpassionednarration,dramaticdialogue,romanticscoreandevocativesoundeffectshelpedtheaudiencereconstructthestorythatwassopresentlyabsentinthefilm.

Organized by BFI and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation.

darya dadvar

ConcertDaryaDadvar,thetalentedIraniansopranoadmiredforhersilkenvoice,madeherLondondebutattheBushHall,deliveringtraditionalIranianmusicarrangedwithelementsofjazzandblues.ThesingerwasaccompaniedbyJacyDesmondonpiano,SusanMcCarthyonflute,ThomasOstrowieckionpercussionandHervedeRatuldonguitarbass.TheeventwasalsobroadcastedinassociationwithBBCPersianTV.

Organized by Ava Ltd and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation.

iranian womens’ voices: pari maleki ― maHsa vaHdat

ConcertThisconcertfeaturedperformancesbytwoIranianfemalemusicgroupswhoareworkingtosafeguardPersiantraditionalmusicdespitethechallengesofbeingwomenvocalistsinmodern-dayIran,wherepublicperformancesbywomenarepartiallybanned.PariMalekihasbeenperformingandteachingmusicsince1986andleadstheKonyaMusicalEnsemblewhileMahsaVahdatisaprofessorofthemaghamtraditionsthathaveformedclassicalPersianmusic.

Organized by Bar-Ax and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation.

monika Jalili: songs of love from iran

ConcertForonenightonlyattheUnionChapel,MonikaJaliliandherensembleofworld-classmusiciansperformedsongsofloveandhopebyagroupoftalentedIranianpoetsandcomposerswhosehopes,dreamsandcareerswereextinguishedbythe1979revolution.ThesongswereperformedintheiroriginallanguageofPersian,AzeriTurkishandvariousotherlocaldialectsspokenthroughoutIran.Usingtraditionalandnon-traditionalinstruments,Jalili’sensembleofmusicianscombinedtheirtalentstopresentoriginalinterpretationsofthismusic.Forthisperformance,JaliliwasjoinedbyMeganGouldonviolin,RizaKhabirpouronguitar,MayrothiT.KontanisonoudandShaneShanahanonpercussion.

Organized by the Mahak Charity and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation

Shirin,Directedby

AbbasKiarostami

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26 2009inReview 27

Since iTS incepTion,theFoundationhasbeenamajorsupporterandorganiserofconferences,seminarsandlecturesonvariousaspectsofIranianstudies.During2009,commitmentsweremadetowardsthefollowingconferencestotakeplacein2010:The Shahnamehand Persianate Identity,attheUniversityofStAndrews;Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh: The Second Thousand Years,attheUniversityofCambridge;andObjects, Collections and Cultures,theSecondBiennialSymposiumtobeconvenedbytheHistoriansofIslamicArtAssociation,attheFreerGalleryofArtandArthurMSacklerGallery,SmithsonianInstitution,Washington,DC.Manypreviouslyplannedconferenceswereconvenedin2009.Inadditiontotheabovementionedconferences,symposiumandstudyday(includingThe World of Shah ‘Abbas;Takhti and the Zurkhaneh; From Safavid Persia to Modern Iran: Culture, Politics, Religion; Thirty Years on: The Social and Cultural Impacts of the Iranian Revolution; Omar Khayyam, FitzGerald and the Rubaiyat), thelistofacademicprogrammessupportedbyIranHeritageFoundationincludesthefollowing:

empires and revolutions: iranian-russian encounters since 1800

ConferenceFromtheearlynineteenthcenturyupuntilthepresenttime,therehavebeenmyriadencountersbetweenIraniansandRussians.Thistwo-dayconferenceexploredsuchencounters,discussingdiplomacyandforeignpolicy.Thecentralobjectiveoftheconferencewastowidenscholarlyperspectivebyincorporatinganunderstandingofothertypesofencounters,bothfriendlyandhostile,andwhetherpolitical,economic,social,culturalorintellectual,especiallyasthesedevelopedbeyondtheofficialandelitelevelsofsociety.

ThefirstdayoftheconferencewasdevotedtointeractionsbetweenQajarIranandTsaristRussia.Threesessionswereheld.Thefirst,entitled“TravellersandEntrepreneurs,”lookedattheRussianeconomicpenetrationofIran,intheformoflandpurchasesandconcessions,attheexpansionofRussianhegemonythroughsouth-centralIranfromabaseatIsfahanandattheRussianconnectionsoftheentrepreneurMalikal-Tujjar.Thesecondsession,called“Shahs,TsarsandOfficials,”examinedtheRusso-Iranianwarsoftheearlynineteenthcentury,thesensitiveissueofRussianmilitarydesertersinIran,theexpiatorymissionofKhusrawMirzatoSt.Petersburg,whichfollowedthemurderinTehranoftheRussianenvoyGriboyedev,andwasconcludedwithsomefascinatingphotographsfromthecollectionoftheRussianconsulAlexanderIyas.Thefinalsessionoftheday,“TheTranscaucasianDimension,”

dealtwithfamilynetworkscriss-crossingboththeRussianandPersianEmpiresandtheimpactontheformationofIranianpoliticalpartieswithconnectionstoRussiansocialdemocracy,particularlyinBaku.

Theseconddayoftheconference,addressingIranandSovietandpost-SovietRussiainthetwentiethcenturyanduptothepresent,alsoconsistedofthreepanels.Thefirst,“TheSovietUnionandIran,1917‒1941,”examinedthefateofIraniansintheCaucasusduringtheturbulentrevolutionaryyearof1917,thegenesisoftheIran-SovietTreatyof1921,whichwasdefinedasatriumphoflateQajardiplomacy,andattheattitudeoftheSovietCominterntowardsthegrowingIranianlabourmovement.AhighlightofthissessionwasthearchivefootageshownbyTourajAtabaki,ProfessorofSocialHistoryoftheMiddleEastandCentralAsiaattheUniversityofLeiden,ofthe1920CongressofPeoplesoftheEast,heldinBaku,andofthe1945‒46autonomousgovernmentofIranianAzerbaijan.Thesecondsession,“CulturalExchanges,”wasdevotedtotheimpactofRussianandSovietinfluencesonthedevelopmentofIraniantheatreandcinema.Thefinalsessionofthe

topRussiandiplomaticpersonnel,probablyintheTabrizConsulate-General,1912-14CourtesyoftheFinnishMuseumofPhotography

bottomRussiandiplomaticpersonnelandPersianCommissioner,1914.CourtesyoftheFinnishMuseumofPhotography

conference,“TheIslamicRepublicofIranandSovietandpost-SovietRussia,”attemptedtodrawsomegeneralconclusionsandtomakeanassessmentofthecurrentstateandlikelyfuturetrajectoryofIranian-Russianrelations.PapersincludedadiscussionoftheUSSRasanalternativerolemodelforIranianmodernity,ofRussian-Iranianattitudestowardsthecivilwarin1990sTajikistan,andoftheissues―especiallyenergyandstrategicconcerns―whichmostcruciallyaffectIranian-Russianeffortsatcooperation.

Eachofthesessionsincludedanopportunityforcontributionsfromthefloor,whichledtoseverallivelyexchangesofviewsaboutthetopicsdiscussed.

ItwasaspecialaimoftheconferencetobringtogetheraninternationalarrayofacademicsasthisfacilitatedcomparisonofthedifferenthistoricalapproachesandhistoriographicaltraditionsprevailinginRussia,theCaucasus,IranandtheWest,aswellasencouragingexchangesaboutthemoreobviousissuesofpoliticsandcurrentaffairs.SeventeenscholarsfromIran,Japan,theNetherlands,Russia,theUnitedKingdomandtheUnitedStatesofAmericapresentedpapers.

The conference was convened by Dr Stephanie Cronin, independent scholar and organized by Iran Heritage Foundation in collaboration with the London Middle East Institute (LMEI) at SOAS and the Soudavar Memorial Fund.

patterns of perfection

ConferenceThisconferenceprovidedarareopportunityforcuratorsandcollectorsaswellaspeopleinterestedinIslamicandEuropeancross-culturalconnectionsanddebatestoexplorenineteenth-centurytextileandcarpetdesignsandtoreflectuponthedisseminationofpatternsandmotifsbetweenIranandBritain.ThethreeprincipalthemesexploredweretextileandcarpetmanufactureinIranandtheimpactofBritishgoodsinIraniandomesticmarkets;theappearanceofIraniantextilesandcarpetsinnineteenth-centuryBritain;andBritishdesignersandtheirconceptof‘Persian’pattern.TheconferenceopenedwithakeynotelecturebyDrLaylaDibaonQajar Iran: Between East and West.OthercontributorswereIrenaKoshoridze,HadiMaktabi,VanessaMartin,PhilipSykasandStephenVernoit.TheconferencewasinmemoriamofPatriciaBaker,theoriginalorganiser,whosadlypassedawayayearbeforetheconferencewasconvened.

The conference was organized by Victoria and Albert Museum in association with Iran Heritage Foundation and supported by the The Association for Cultural Exchange Ltd.

HistoriograpHy and iran in comparativeperspective

Conference TheconferenceatStAndrewsfocusedonthedevelopmentsinthehistoriographyofIranincomparativeperspectiveandsoughttohighlightanumberofdevelopmentsintheareabyassessingthetraditionsofhistoricalwritinginIranandsituatingthemwithinbroadertrendsinhistoriographicalthought,particularlytothedevelopmentofEuropeanhistoricalnarratives.Withinthecontextofeightpanels―the EarlyModernPeriod,NationalismandHistoriography,Antiquity,TheMedievalImagination,PersiaintheEarlyModernImagination,Memoirs,AryanismanditsDiscontentsandWriting20thCenturyHistory―werethequestionsaddressedby29distinguishedspeakersfromAustria,Germany,India,Iran,Israel,Italy,theUnitedKingdomandtheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Fivekeynotespeechesweredeliveredby:ProfessorMichaelBentleyonHistoriographyandIran:theViewfromtheWest,ProfessorBertFragneronPersianHistoriography,

Blockprintedcotton,Iran,19thc.,CourtesyoftheV&AMuseum

28 2009inReview 29

ProfessorChrisLorenzonComparativeHistoriography,ProfessorAbbasMilanionTheShah:MethodologicalProblemsofBiographyandProfessorAbbasAmanatontheConstructionofGrandNarrative.TheconferencewasconvenedbyProfessorAliAnsari.

The conference was organized by the Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews, Centre for Transnational History, University of St Andrews and Iran Heritage Foundation.

aZar nafisi: tHings i’ve been silent about

Talk and Book LaunchAzarNafisiisavisitingFellowandLecturerattheForeignPolicyInstituteofJohnHopkinsUniversity’sSchoolofAdvancedInternationalStudies(SAIS)andauthorofthebestsellingbook,Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books (2004).Inthislatestwork,publishedbyRandomHouseinJanuary2009,theauthornarratestheupheavalsinherdysfunctionalfamily,includingherchildhoodsexualabuseandherfather’sincarcerationundertheShahontrumped-upchargesoffinancialirregularities,settingthesceneagainstthebackgroundofthecountry’spoliticalrevolution.NafisidiscussedherworkwithanaudienceatAsiaHouse;thetalkwasfollowedbyabooksigningbytheauthor.

A balanced, lucid narrative; a rich, complex account of this crucial part of Iranian historyJean Hannah Edelstein,The Observer

Organized by Asia House in partnership with Iran Heritage Foundation and supported by Standard Chartered Private Bank, Arts Council England and The Times.

rightBookcover

topConferencedelegates,StAndrews

middleAbbasMilani,StanfordUniversity

bottomPost-conferencedinnerfordelegatesatStAndrews

stakeHolders’ forum

Trustees,AdvisoryandManagementBoardmembersandmembersoftheAcademic,EventsandFGCcommitteesconvenedameetingattheRoyalAutomobileClubinStJames’on23rdApril toreviewthefuturestrategicdirectionoftheIHF.TheChairmanandChiefExecutivepresentedtheplansfor2010andprospectsformediumtermdevelopmentoftheFoundation.AydinAzizzadehpresentedtheoutlineoftheFoundation’sambitiousprojecttodigitiseandestablishaninternetplatformfortheGolhamusicalcollection.KouroshKaghazianpresentedtheFGC’splanforintroducingthestudyofAncientPersiaintheBritishschoolcurriculum.

Organized by Iran Heritage Foundation.

topKouroshKaghazian

middleElahehFatemi,AnnaMonibi,NedaToofanian,LeilaAdle,MayRashidian,MaryamAlaghband,NoushinDanechi,BitaDaryabari,SabineSarikhani,MonirSattaripour,ParitaBagheriandRoyaBabaee

aboveFaradAzimaaddressingGuests

leftSarahStewart,VestaSarkhoshCurtis,CharlesMelville,FiruzaAbdullaeva,LaylaDiba,JohnCurtis,GeorginaHerrmann

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30 2009inReview 31

The festival of Norouz, the celebration of the new year on the first day of spring or the vernal equinox, constitutes a major part of the rich culture of Iran and the Persianate world. While its exact origins are unknown, references to it can be traced back to several thousand years predating the Achaemenid era (550–330 BCE) and is deeply rooted in the traditions of the Zoroastrian belief in the concept of rebirth and renewal of life. The ancient Iranians marked the last ten days of the solar year in a solemn ceremony of mourning (‘Farvardigan’) to signify the end of life. This was followed by the festival of Norouz which, in contrast, celebrated the rebirth of nature and life, an occasion that certainly warranted celebration and joy. One of the rock reliefs of the staircases below the great audience hall at the ruins of the Achaemenids’ seasonal palace at Persepolis depicts a procession of dignitaries on their way to the festival of Norouz, carrying ceremonial and symbolic offerings. The basis of the rituals have remained remarkably intact for several thousand years, observed by vast populations living in Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan and Central Asia as well as the Diaspora. The significant moment that starts the New Year is when the earth goes through the spring equinox―theexact moment when the earth has completed one revolution of the sun. The tradition is continued through the setting of a special table or spread with an arrangement of specific symbolic items known as the haftsin. Our Norouz Gala is now a London tradition and is the major fundraising event for the Foundation; it is a joyous occasion and an auspicious start to the new year, with the added bonus that the contributions that support it are likewise supporting Persian heritage. In 2009, the Gala was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel. I t was truly an evening of celebration, with young and old dancing and enjoying themselves up until the early hours of the morning. The centrepiece was, of course, the traditional haftsin, and the theme of the Gala featured the Safavid ruler Shah ‘Abbas to coincide with the exhibition of the same subject at The British Museum.

norouZ gala

The Gala was organised by the Norouz Committee, chaired by Maryam Alaghband and Bita Daryabari.

topFereshtehDaftari,MaryamAlaghband,LeilaAdle,MaryamKhosrowshahi

middleTrusteeDrAliSattaripour,MahinLakani,MonirSattaripour,ShahriyarFarrokhzadeh,LadanSattaripour,RanaFarsian,BabakFarsian,FarhadLakani,BarsamLakani,NilanLakani

bottomFirouzehDiba,SoussieRastegar-Kerman,JackNounou,PresidentSedighehRastegar

32 2009inReview 33

norouZ gala

OldBillingsgate20March2010

Continuingalongstandingtradition,wecelebratetheIranianNewYearwithaGalaattheBillingsgate.ItisajoyousoccasionandanauspiciousstarttotheNewYear.ThisGalahasalsoalwaysbeenourmajorfundraisingevent.

Organised by the Foundation

no one knows about persian cats

FilmRitzyBrixton23March2010

LumiereCinemaSouthKensington31March2010

No One Knows About Persian CatsexplorestheundergroundmusicsceneinTehranwhich,perhapsunexpectedly,turnsouttobeahotbedofrappers,metalbandsandindierockerswhosportStrokesT-shirtsandlinetheirrehearsalspaceswithJoyDivisionposters.ThefilmisdirectedbyBahmanGhobadiandtellsthestoryofayoungmanandwomanastheyplantolaunchamusicgroupshortlyaftertheirreleasefromprisonandtheir

dreamsoffleeingtoEuropeinordertoplaymusicfreely.ThescreeningwillbefollowedbyaliveperformancefromTakeitEasyHospitalandDJShahramNorz.

Organized by Network Releasing and Warner Music and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation.

garden of Heaven

SymposiumTheBurrellCollection,Glasgow27March2010

Plannedinconjunctionwiththespecialexhibitionofthe17th-centuryPersian“Wagner”GardenCarpet,thisonedaysymposiumwillexplorethethemeofParadisegardensinIslamicartandcultureandthehorticulturaltraditionsofIran.

Organised by the Iranian-Scottish Association and Iran Heritage Foundation.

tHe sHaHnameH and persianate identity

ConferenceUniversityofSt.Andrews9‒12April2010

Amillenniumafterhisdeath,theShahnamehofFerdowsiremainsthesinglemostimportantliterarysourceoftheconstructionanddefinitionofPersianateidentity.Thisconference,convenedbyProfessorAli

Ansari,willfocusonthepolitical,socialandhistoricallegacyoftheShahnamehinthedevelopmentofidentitiesinthePersianateworldaswellasaspectsofidentitybeyondethnicornationalcharacterisations.

Organised by the Institute of Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews and Iran Heritage Foundation.

tHe world of acHaemenid persia: History, art and society in iran and tHe ancient near east

Book Launch and ReceptionBritishMuseum13April2010

InterestandfascinationinAchaemenidPersiahasburgeonedinrecentyears,thusnecessitatinganewappraisalofthegloriouscivilizationfoundedbyCyrustheGreatandcontinuedbyhissuccessors. The World of Achaemenid Persia: History, Art and Society in Iran and the Ancient Near East,editedbyDrJohnCurtisOBEandDrStJohnSimpson,fillsthegapbyofferingasustainedandcomprehensiveoverviewofthefieldofAchaemenidstudiesbyleadingscholarsandexperts,discussingallaspectsofAchaemenidhistoryandarchaeologybetween550BCEand330BCE,embracingthewholevastterritoryofthePersianEmpirefromNorthAfricatoIndiaandfromCentralAsiatothePersianGulf. ThebookwillbelaunchedatareceptionintheBritishMuseum.

Organised by Iran Heritage Foundation.

visual culture of tHe medieval middle east: islamic History now?

Conference PanelUniversityofGlasgow16April2010

Apaneldiscussionatthe2010AnnualConferenceofAAH(AssociationofArtHistorians)whichwillfocusonscholarshipin‘Islamic’orMiddleEasternarthistoryofthemedievalperiod,analysingthehistoricalandcurrentmethodologies.

Organised by Dr Moya Carey and Dr Margaret Graves and sponsored by Iran Heritage Foundation.

pea boy witH eliZabetH laird

Family Event and Workshop for Children 5‒11 years of ageAsiaHouse15May2010

DuringhertravelsinIran,ElizabethLairdhasgatheredawealthofstories.Inherbook,Pea Boy,sheretellsinherowninimitablestylesomeofthebestones.AtafamilyeventatAsiaHouse,theauthorwillsharesomeofthestoriesfromthebookwiththeaudience.Drawingonherfirst-handexperienceoflifeinIran,sheimbueshertaleswithcolourfuldetailsthatmakethemuniquelyrepresentativeofthepeoplewhotellthemandthelandthattheyinhabit.ThebookhasbeenillustratedinadelightfulandoffbeatmannerbythegiftedartistShirinAdle.Afterthestorytelling,therewillbeaninteractiveworkshopwherechildrenwillhavethechancetomakecostumesinspiredbyoneofthestoriesandbeentertainedbyIranianmusicians.

Organized by Asia House in partnership with Iran Heritage Foundation and sponsored by Cora Sheibani and Maryam Eisler.

life in iran - freedom deferred?

Azadeh Moaveni talks about her new book and life in IranAsiaHouse7June2010

Inhercompelling2005book,Lipstick Jihad,AzadehMoavenichronicledtheundergroundyouthcultureinTehranattheturnofthemillennium,writingaboutteenagerswhoembracedan‘asif’lifestyleandarguedthatgrass-rootschangesinIran—fromthespreadofillegalsatellitedishesandillegalvideodealerstothepopularityofblogging—wouldeventuallyalterthetrajectoryofthatcountry’shistory,whilethedemographicascendanceofayoungergenerationwouldtransformthenationfrombelow.Hernewbook,Honeymoon in Tehran,paintsafarlessoptimisticportraitofthecountry.Inthisbook,sheusesherownexperiencesasaprismbywhichtoviewpoliticaldevelopmentsinTehran,thusgivingusahighlypersonalpictureofIran’ssocialandpoliticalevolution.ShediscussesthebookandherexperiencewithDrDominicParvizBrookshawatAsiaHouse,aspartofAsiaHouse’sFestivalofAsianLiterature.

Organised by Asia House in partnership with Iran Heritage Foundation.

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34 2009inReview 35

epic of tHe persian kings: tHe art of ferdowsi’s sHaHnameH

ExhibitionFitzwilliamMuseum–Cambridge11September2010–8January2011

Theyear2010marksthemillenniumofthecompletionofthePersian‘BookofKings’(Shahnameh)bythepoetAbu’lQasimFerdowsi.ThisgreatepicpoemcapturesthehistoryandlivinglegendsofIran,fromtheearliesttimestothefallofthePersianEmpireinthe7thcenturyCE.Inpreservingthememoryandthespiritofanheroicpast,theShahnamehcontinuestoinspireIraniansinallareasoflifeandart.Tocelebratethisgreatmonumentofworldliterature,theFitzwilliamMuseumatCambridgewillbringtogetherworksfromtheholdingsofpublicorsemi-publiccollectionssuchastheBritishLibrarytotherarelyseenmaterialsfromprivatecollections.Takentogether,thesewillprovideexamplesofthediverserangeofstylesintheartofPersianbookpainting.Arichprogrammeofeventsandeducationalactivitiesforadults,childrenandfamilygroups,includingpubliclecturesbyleadingacademics,curatorsandconservators;workshopsonIslamiccalligraphyandpottery;literaryreadingsanddramatisations;concertsofmedievalIslamicmusicandmuchmoreisbeingorganizedaroundtheexhibition.

Organised by the Fitzwilliam Museum in partnership with the Cambridge Shahnameh Project and Iran Heritage Foundation.

sHaHnameH – tHe book of kings: ancient iran and poetic mytH

ExhibitionMuseumforIslamicArt,Berlin3December2010–20March2011

UNESCOhasdesignatedtheyear2010asMillenniumyearoftheShahnameh.TheMuseumofIslamicArtinBerlinandtheBerlinNationalLibraryareseizingtheopportunitytointroducethisliterarymasterpiecetothepublicwiththeirworld-renownedcollectionsofShahnamehmanuscriptsandminiaturepaintings.The exhibitionwillcommunicatethehistoryoftheepicanditsliteraryhighlightsaswellastheimportantroletheShahnamehplaysforPersiannationalidentity.

BesideathematicshowoftheShahnameh‘throughtheages’withmasterpiecesofPersianpainting,theexhibitionwillincludeacollectionofhistoricalphotographsandartefactsofSasanianarchitecture,

sculptureandsilverworktointroducethesignificantarchaeologicalpre-IslamicheritageofIranreferredtocontinuouslyinthisgreatnationalepic.

Organised by the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin (SMB) and the National Library, Berlin (SPK) and supported by Iran Heritage Foundation.

tHe golHa proJect

OperationaldateSeptember2011

GolhawasaseriesofweeklyradioprogrammesairedonIranianradiobetween1956and1979whichcoveredtheentirehistoryofclassicalaswellascontemporaryPersianpoetry,givingexpressiontothewholegamutoftraditionalPersianmusicandpoetry.Theforemostandbestmusicians,vocalists,literarycritics,poetsandannouncersperformedontheprogrammes,thusprovid-ingauniquerecordedcollectionoftheclassicalcorpusofPersianmusicandpoetrymadeinthe20thcentury.Adigitalarchiveoftheseriesforaccessbyacademicre-searchersofPersianmusicandliteratureandthepublicatlargewasundertakenbytheEndangered Archives Programme of theBritishLibrary.ThefirstphasewhichincludedcompilationanddigitisationofthecompletearchiveofalltheGolharadioprogrammescompletedin2008.IranHeritageFoundationwillbeinvolvedinthesecondphaseoftheproject,whichinvolvescreationofasearchable,relationaldatabaseoftheentirearchivein-cludingbio-bibliographicaldataontheperformersandauthors,musicalnotationforthesongsandtranscrip-tionofthepoetryandthecommentariesincludedintheprogrammes.Thisdatabasewillbemadeavailableovertheinternetbymeansofapurpose-builtwebsitelinkedexclusivelytotheIHFwebsite.Theprojectwillbeman-agedbyJaneLewisohn.

Organised by Iran Heritage Foundation and supported by Endangered Archives Programme of the British Library.

Institutional and organisational partners with whom we worked together in the implementation and execution of projects and programmes

AlTajirFoundationArtsCouncilEnglandAsiaHouseBar-AxBBCWorldServiceTrustBFI,SouthbankBritishLibrary

CambridgeshireCountyCouncilCentreforMediaandFilmStudies–SOASCentreforTransnationalHistory‒University

ofStAndrewsDocumentaryExperimentalFilmCentreEramArtsGarnetPublishingInstituteofIranianStudies–Universityof

StAndrewsIranianDocumentaryFilmmakersAss.JBPelhamLondonMiddleEastInstitute–SOASLondonSchoolofEconomicsandPolitical

ScienceOff-CentreProductionsParallaxMediaPembrokeCollege–UniversityofCambridgePrinceClausFundSchoolofOrientalandAfricanStudiesSotheby’sSoudavarMemorialFoundationStandardCharteredPrivateBankTheAncientIndiaandIranTrust–

CambridgeTheAssociationforCulturalExchangeTheBritishInstituteforPersianStudiesTheBritishMuseumTheDepartmentofMiddleEasternStudies

FAMES–CambridgeTheFacultyofEnglish–Universityof

CambridgeThePersianDepartment–

LeidenUniversity

TheSoudavarCambridgeFundforPersianStudies

TheTimesTheVictorianStudyGroup–Universityof

CambridgeTrinityCollege–UniversityofCambridgeUCLMellonProgrammeUniversityofStAndrewsVictoriaandAlbertMuseumVisitingArts

Academic and Cultural experts who shared their expertise with us and provided the professional input that ensured the high quality of our programmes and events

FiruzaAbdullaevaAliAnsariMaziarBahariSheilaSCanbyStephanieCroninJohnCurtisFrancoisdeBloisNarguessFarzadTimGreenwoodMaluHalasaRobertHoylandRichardHyltonPedramKhosronejabCharlesMelvilleJamesNeilVenetiaPorterSethPriestmanNickRenggerVestaSarkhoshCurtisStJohnSimpsonJonSnowAnnabelleSrebernyAngusStewartBernhardStruckSaeedTalajooyNigelTallisMassoumehTorfehChristinevanRuymbeke

We appreciate the friendship and support of the following individuals in achieving our goal

YeganehAkhavanZanjaniMaryamAlagheband(Tehran)MishaAnikstRoyaArabAydinAzizzadehSogandBahramKarenBowringNikkiDeanBehrouzEmamiNarguessFarzadChiaraGiangrecoMichaelaHallFarshadIrvanipourNiluIzadiKouroshKaghazianTaraKamangarGolnoushKhaleghiMandanaMahdaviHelenMcInnesAnnekeMendelsohnSetarehMeshkatiShabnamMirafzalliYunusMussaGraceNettoAfsanehOmidDanielaPaoliniNiravPatelJohnPotterLiviaPugginiSorayaRahnemaNeilRaymondSangeetaRazuAnahitaRezvaniRadKathrynStoreyTimTaylorJohnWatsonRoxaneZand

Ack

now

led

gem

ents

Wecouldnothaveachievedanyofourobjectives,haditnotbeenforalltheindividuals,institutions,corporationsandfoundationswhoworkedwithorsupportedusbygivingtheirtime,sharingtheirexpertise,providingfinancialsupportorbecomingourprojectpartners.Weareinparticularindebtedto

36 2009inReview

MassoudandHelenAbrishamchiHosseinandLeilaAdleAtaandLidaAhsaniHassanandFarahAlaghbandVahidandMaryamAlaghbandSirDavidAllianceDavidAmosCyrusandJuniArdalanHashemArouziFaradAzimaTheAzimaFoundationManucherandMahvashAzmudehSiamakandParitaBagheriKambizandRoyaBabaeeBalliGroupplcBankJuliusBaerBanquePriveedeRothschildAllesandroBruschettiniHenryDallalMichelandNoushinDanechiYousefDaneshvarOBEandFaridehDaneshvarBitaDaryabariDaltonandRoshanakDwyerGiuseppeEskenaziMrsHaidehEslahMahmoudandZahraFaghihiFarhadFarjamFaroughandPariFarmanfarmaianRashidandDuniaFarmanfarmaianFarsamFarschtschianBehroozandElaheFatemiChristopherGoullut

AliGholiandEmmanuelaHedayatChristian-LeopoldandNassimHeppeAliHessamiNeilIdenLisaImmermannZinatIrvaniJawadandMahnazKamelElliKashanchiHosseinKhajehHosseinyDianaKhalatbariKarimandLeiliLariAhmadLari(IGIndustries)HamidandMinaLarizadehGoliMetghalchiMehdiandSoheylaMetghalchiAsgharandFereshtehMontakhabAfsanehMoshiriFarhadandNazeninMoshiriArdeshirNaghshinehMansourandFaribaNamakiOliverHoareLtdRouzbehandRanaPirouzAliandMayRashidianSedighehRastegarFirouzehRastegarAlirezaRastegarAliandSabineSarikhaniAliandMonirSattaripourMehdiSherafatiSaadiSoudavarTargetfollowGroupMehrdadandNedaToofanianMajidandMinooToutouni

Finally, with heartfelt gratitude to the individuals and corporations that served as a lifeline for our endeavours with their generous financial support, including: