SAEA Brings a Glimpse of Persia to Dhahran
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Author: Saudi Aramco Employees Association
Released 14 April 2009
Yasmin Khory, Persian Night Chairperson
An Saudi Aramco Employees Association (SAEA) sponsored Persian Night event was held in Dhahran on Thursday, February 12.
The evening was filled with a variety of colorful and cultural entertainment that gave the 250 person audience a wonderful glimpse of Iran, its customs, traditions, music, and delicious food delicacies.
The evening started with a welcome video of traditional Iranian music by well known composer, songwriter and musician Parvaz Homay now considered a master of the ancient techniques of Persian music. This was followed by a video on Iran highlighting different aspects of ancient Persia as well as the modern sights, from a tourist’s perspective, covering different cities in Iran.
A selection of four traditional, colorful and lively Persian folk dances – Kereshmeh – using the veil, Kharaman – showing hand, and eye movements, a Children’s dance performed at ceremonies, and a Kurdish dance using scarves, from the various regions of Iran were performed. The endless hours of dedicated practice by nine girls and ten adults, made for a perfect performance.
Left to right: Shaili, Anushka, Natasha, Shaina, Ayesha, Meghana, Aishwarya, Aneree and Anjana. A traditional Iranian dinner was preceded by a music video featuring world renowned Iranian composer and musician Bijan Mortazavi whose music continued to set the tempo for the rest of the evening.
One of Iran’s most loved celebrations known as “Norouz” which marks the start of the Persian Solar Calendar was one of the many highlights. The setting of the “Haft Seen” table with seven items, each signifying traditional Persian values associated with Norouz, is the focal point where the typical Iranian family welcomes in the New Year. This was followed with a colorful display of traditional and regional costumes that reflected the diverse peoples of Iran, from the tribal to the modern outfits.
The evening concluded with Mrs. Yasmin Khory, SAEA Event Chairperson, thanking Marzi Mansouri, Richard Yates, all the participants, and everyone else who made the evening such an overwhelming success.
See more photos from Persian Night in an Aramco ExPats Gallery: SAEA Persian Night.