Sounds like we're good to go.
Hello, everyone.
Happy Nourous, or as we say, Nourous et Pyrous in Farsi.
Nourous literally means New Day.
It's a celebration of spring, of renewal, of hope,
and it's celebrated by over 300 million people around the globe.
Today's celebration will start with a daf.
It's a traditional Central Asian drum performance
who will today be performed by members of the Pamira community.
So here we go.
Another musical performance.
However, this time, Dr. Sam Tahiri's instrument is his voice.
Acclaimed vocalist Sam Tahiri's beautiful rendition of Rumi's poetic masterpiece,
A Yadiman, which translates to Oh, My Friend or Oh, My Companion,
is a soulful expression of longing and devotion
and reflects themes of love and spiritual connection,
which Tahiti's unique vocal artistry is sure to bring to life.
Thank you, Rebecca.
This will be in a form of improvisation.
It's called Avaz.
For best indulgence, it's best to be calm for the duration of it.
Oh
Ey, din و ای ایمان من
خوش می روی در جان من
ای درد تو درمان
چون می روی بی من
ای جان جانی تا
ای دیدن تو دین من
Ey, روی تا ایمان من
Ey, هست تو پنهان شده
در هستی پنهان من
Ey, دیدن تا دین من
Ey, روی تا ایمان من
AY HAST TO PENHAN SHUDE DER HASTY PENHAN MAN
CHUNMI RABY BEE MAN
AY JAN JAN BEE TAN
MADR DARAM PAKZARAM PAYAN MAHZANI
extraordinary sam thank you so much so as is oh i don't think i introduced myself
My name is, hi everyone, my name is Becca, and I will be emceeing for today.
Okay, now that we've gotten that over with, I think it's clear that something that all of the cultures that celebrate Nauru's
and across the many countries that celebrate Nauru's, something that is shared amongst a solid chunk of us is music and dance.
So, to keep with that same shared love, we have some awesome dancers from the Kurdish community.
So, as they say in Kurdish,
Noruz apiruz be!
about some of my favorite traditions for Nowruz.
So a staple in many Iranian and Iranian-American homes
is something called the Heftzine, or seven S's.
In fact, we have a lovely Heftzine table
put together by a lovely sponsor, Maddy Amkhanoum.
So thank you very much.
And business cards, her business cards
are available as well.
So usually on a half-seam table, you'll find a pudding called samanu, which represents abundance.
Senjid, which is oleander fruit, dry fruit particularly, sweetness.
Seab, apples, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Same thing culturally.
Serke, which means vinegar, which symbolizes patience and the inevitable sour moments that
we all have sometimes in life.
Serke, coins, which represent prosperity.
Sir, garlic, which represents medicine and keeping away the evil eye.
And lastly, somal, or sumac, which represents sun and hope because of its color.
um afghanistan is one of the many nations that celebrates um no ruse by often the way it's
presently celebrated is being in nature and eating food in the tradition of
of renewal and and again kind of hope and connecting with connecting back into nature and greenery
um also while i'm on the topic of afghanistan thank you to two of our sponsors
ruggistan which provided the beautiful rugs thank you shams and here a spice which has brought some
lovely desserts. So get excited. Oh, we're waiting. Sorry. There are places across the world where
communities that have had a tradition of celebrating No Roos can no longer do so due to strife and
limitations imposed. So we honor the sacrifices of those communities and dedicate today to
celebration for all of them as well. You are not forgotten and are always in our thoughts.
So next we'll have, whether this is before the mayor's arrival or after, Dr. Ahmad Sadri.
Ahmad Sadri is an Iranian-American sociologist, an author, and translator,
best known for his contributions to sociology and Persian literature, as well as my education.
I am a former student of his.
he serves as the James P. Gorder
Professor of Islamic World Studies
and Professor of Sociology and Anthropology
at Lake Forest College
among his most influential works
are Max Weber's Sociology of Intellectuals
Reason, Freedom, and Democracy in Islam
and Persian poet Ferdowsi's
Ferdowsi's, sorry, Shahnameh
The Epic of Persian Kings
Dr. Sadri's recently released Collector's Edition of Shahnameh,
complete version of Shahnameh,
features extraordinary illustrations by Hamid Rahmanian,
created from elements of Persian, Mughal, and Ottoman art.
Inspired by a childhood memory of a recitation,
oral recitation, of Rasam and Sohrab, a story from Shahnameh,
Dr. Sadri sought to bring this cornerstone of Persian culture,
Oration of Stories to Global Readers.
His work continues to shape discussions on sociology, Persian literature, and Islamic reform.
He'll read a piece now.
I wish all of you a happy Noruz.
Noruz is the moment of vernal equinox.
It is a real event in the universe.
It's not a conventional holiday.
And it brings all the Persianate peoples of that part of the world together, the Kurds, the Turks, the Uzbeks, the Afghans, the Tajiks, the Iranians.
They all come together in different religions, especially Persian Jews and various religions, various branches of Islam, including the Ismaili community.
It is an event that brings all Persianates together, and it is one of the things that defines this part of the world, celebrating these ancient events that probably the most important of them is the beginning of the season of spring,
which is
Noruz
and we are gathered here
to celebrate
basically it's God's Earth Day
that's how I would call it
and
so happy Noruz to all of you
we the Persian
peoples of that part of the world
who are, who call Chicago
our home, we wish
a happy Noruz
a happy spring
and a happy year to all of our fellow citizens in this country and in this city.
Another thing that brings Iranians together is the poem called Shah Nameh,
or the Epic of the Persian Kings.
And this is the longest poem ever written by a single human being.
And it was finished 1,015 years ago, give or take a few weeks.
We are celebrating that.
at the birthday of the complete Shahnameh, and my complete Shahnameh was published, the translation was published on April 18th, and here is that book, and I wish to present a copy of this to the Honorable Mayor of Chicago as our gift,
And I wish to read the small part of Shahnameh that talks about the first occasion of Noruz.
Basically, it's a mythology of how Noruz started.
It is in the reign of King Jamshid, one of the four mythical kings of Shahnameh, before the epic period of Shahnameh.
And it says,
So, the translation goes something like this, if I can find my glasses, which I don't seem to, no, it won't be in there, no, it won't be in there.
So anyway, so maybe I can basically convey the ancient kings gave us the gift of a peaceful holiday calling for wine and musicians. At the onset of spring, they forgave their foes and drank their worries away.
happy no rules to all of you and I wish you a happy day thank you dr. Sadri so we do have
several other performances I can introduce size but we're gonna want to wait right okay but we're
gonna want to wait to keep going until the mayor gets here so I was told to improvise so
So, um, sorry, sorry, Shmael.
Um, you know, transparency, right?
So, let's see.
I, I, uh, gathered some fun facts about Nauru's.
So, oh, well, okay, I can tell you about my favorite, personal favorite tradition.
While I love the heft scene, I do, I really do.
The last Wednesday of the Persian year, or the last Wednesday before Nauru's, there is a tradition of jumping fire.
It's called Chahar Shambesuri.
So essentially, you make a trade with the fire.
Before jumping, you say, my yellow, which symbolizes sickness, illness.
think of like not yellow like the sun but more like a mustard yellow you know um you give that
to the fire and the fire gives you it's red it's warmth it's love and it's hope for a new year
so and jumping the fires are just really really fun they're small so it's doable and they're set
up i think how many do they have seven i've seen 11 um and that's my favorite tradition at the end
of noruz we have something called it's the 13th day the end of noruz and everyone gets together
sort of similar to the afghan tradition of being in nature um and gets together in a park or
somewhere summer green and listens to music and dance and eat delicious food which hopefully will
do after all of today's performances.
Neriman?
I'm going to be a part of the improvisational act of Becca.
So, and...
I just wanted to, while the mayor, and we're all waiting for the mayor to get here,
just wanted to give you a little bit of a talk about history and symbolisms of Noroos
and where it all comes from, and talk a little bit about the half saint
and also the rug that we have over here.
Noroos is a time where we, all the Persian people, as Professor Sadri said,
celebrate the rhythms of nature.
rhythms of new all and many historians are now starting to revise their
understanding that a lot of this renewal of nature is also a feminine
symbol in Persian culture and many of the leaders of the Noru celebrations in
the ancient Persia were actually women and this was supposed to be a feminine
renewal of nature and that's where we are at and I think the mayor is here and
he will elaborate on all of that for you thank you very much alrighty up next we
have a spoken word performance called on spring and season by phase jawani it's
about creating as phase says new relationships with ancient seasons just
So PSA, says he's getting over a cold, so he's not going to say it, but I'll say it.
So if his voice sounds a little funky, that's why.
On spring and season.
In the hustle of busyness, nature can feel remote.
Call in the distance, exhibit in museum, something somewhere deep below the concrete.
On this festival of spring, we remember that there are seasons in us, the wintry chill that creeps into our bones on polar vortex days.
The urge of the long winter is to not just wait for better days, but to find the ways to make every day worth living.
We embody autumn's changes of shade and fashion and form by design and age as our bodies enshrine the years of shared moments, each far larger than life.
The wrinkles that emerge as evidence of a thousand facial expressions our skin cannot help but to remember.
And there are summers of heat and resolve that test us, fire the soft clays of belief to the ceramic of conviction that hold firm and carry forward the aspirations of our community and all communities.
said Hafiz, I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of
your own being. We are no strangers to the seasons of renewal. The land that Chicago is now was
prairie once, with fires that flew through almost every summer, crumbling swaths of land to richer
soil and a future of new growth. This land became prairie because the prairie grasses learned to
withstand those fires. That resilience gave rise to a city no stranger to rebuilding nor rising to
any challenge. This resilience took its mantle in a flag, stars in a blue Chicago sky. Even in the
darkest days of winter when there are only memories of the warmth that suffused the sunshine, when
early splashes of warmth prompt not joy but suspicion, weary with the fear of false promise,
even then, we carry an inexhaustible hope.
Hope in the knowledge that winter has never overcome the light
and the promise of an impending bloom,
an unshakable conviction that from the rich soil of past centuries and ancestors
and what MLK Jr. once described as an inescapable network of mutuality,
spring's bounty is simply unstoppable.
And there is this spring in us.
The acorns that are the essence of the oak tree
with tree rings that reveal both drought and plenty all reach feats of life home to
entire ecosystems of strivers. We are feats of life. We emerge from the blessed soul of
countless yesterdays and ancestors across continents and oceans and languages and
neighborhoods and rise to the towering belief that we can create canopies of shade and sustenance
and love and make possible new imaginations even when the lights begin to dim again.
The Haftzine is a Persian tradition of symbols for spring
and includes symbols for love, resilience, rebirth, patience.
They remind me that even when driving down Dusab Lakeshore Drive,
when nature may seem remote in the glare of the next appointment,
of the mutual striving that we all share,
of love, of resilience, patience, and rebirth,
an eternal spring.
Said Rumi,
out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase, each other, don't make any sense.
No words, Mubarak, and happy no words.
That was beautiful.
Up next, I have the privilege of introducing our Deputy Mayor.
Deputy Mayor Beatriz Ponte de Leon is a dedicated leader and advocate for immigrant, migrant, and refugee rights in Chicago.
With over 30 years of exceptional experience, she was appointed first Deputy Mayor of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights by Mayor Johnson in 2023.
She continues to champion policies and programs that support these communities, ensuring they have access to resources,
and, similar to what Faye said, the opportunities to thrive in Chicago.
Thank you so much, and thank you. Welcome, everybody.
Good afternoon and happy Noroos.
It is an honor to be here again to celebrate this beautiful holiday with all of you,
especially as we welcome spring and as we take a moment to really embrace the spirit of renewal, of hope, and of unity.
Noroos feels especially important to me today, given the challenges that our immigrant communities are facing in our country.
So I want to extend a special appreciation for all of you gathering here in community with us.
As Chicago's Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights,
I am inspired every day by the resilience and the joy that I see in our communities,
especially among women and girls.
I want to take a moment to reflect on the role of women in this celebration.
It is women who primarily uphold our traditions across many cultures, who drive progress, and who nurture our immigrant and refugee spirit.
And this year, as we gather around the half-seen table, I'm reminded of the central role that women play in keeping this cultural tradition, Nauruz, alive.
As you all well know, from preparing the sabseh, which symbolizes rebirth, to arranging the samanu, representing patience and wisdom, women have long been the keepers of Noruz's most cherished rituals.
Their labor and love ensure that this ancient tradition thrives for future generations, both here in Chicago and in communities across the globe.
So, women from all cultures pass down stories, they teach sacred traditions, they cook special
meals, and they do the work of weaving together families and communities in celebration and
in love.
I have experienced this in my own Mexican family, in my Mexican community, and I am grateful
for it.
Whether they are refugees rebuilding their lives, or they are migrant workers contributing
to our economy, or immigrant women breaking barriers in work and school, their courage
embodies the spirit of Noroos, a new day, a fresh start, and a hope for the future.
As we celebrate Noroos, let us honor the women.
past and present, who have carried this powerful and meaningful tradition forward.
And let's all renew our pledge to stand with them, to amplify their voices, to extend opportunities
for growth and prosperity, and to ensure that their contributions are never overlooked.
I'm proud that our mayor, Mayor Johnson, is committed to uplifting women.
We see this, including women from immigrant and refugee communities.
We see this in the policies that our city supports to support economic opportunity, mental health and health care, affordable housing, family and community safety, strong, effective, powerful education, and cultural preservation.
And as a member of the Johnson administration, I'm especially proud that our mayor and that our city is committed to making Chicago a city that is inclusive and welcoming to all, regardless of country of origin, immigration status, language spoken, gender identity, class, or race.
Thank you.
And as many of you are aware, that is not to be taken for granted in other parts of our country.
So today, I just want to say thank you again to all of you who are here.
Thank you to Ali and Ashmael for organizing this event, to the Mayor's Office of Community Engagement,
for always pulling together successful events and celebrations.
And many, many thanks to all of you for being here.
Naruz Mubarak.
I wish that I was sitting down during that so that I could give a standing ovation, but I was standing anyway.
So thank you, Deputy Mayor.
That means a lot.
Now we'll have a song performance from a member of our Central Asian community, Niso, who will be singing Baba Bakhtan, Khushan Madin.
Good afternoon, and there is Mubarak too.
to say it is an honor to welcome you all today.
As someone who came to Chicago as a refugee
and found not just safety, but a true home here,
it is deeply meaningful to be part of this arrangement.
It is my privilege to introduce a leader who truly reflects
the heart of this city, Mayor Brandon Johnson.
His ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and showing up for all communities
makes Chicago stronger, more inclusive, and more united.
We are grateful for his presence with us today.
And I would like to invite my friend, colleague, Mr. Ishmael Ghaziani to share some words with all of you.
So last year when we were here, I had the honor of introducing an Ismaili artist.
And on the way back to my seat, I dropped my, you remember this, my parking ticket.
And people were telling me, go grab your ticket, go grab your ticket.
And I got to the mayor's seat, by the mayor, and the mayor was like, you need to grab your ticket because we can't pay for that.
And so I told my wife this story, and she said this morning, I'm just going to spot hero for you
to save you the embarrassment again with the mayor.
So my wife saved my butt today.
So thank you to Zara for that.
I just want to acknowledge the fact that I echo Ali's words.
Mr. Mayor, Navroz represents renewal and spring and hope and light.
And I think how you have welcomed people into this city represents Navroz every day.
And so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all those communities that have welcomed in their own because of your policies.
So thank you and to the deputy first mayor for your policies and your advocacy.
I also want to take the time to thank, outside of Ali and I, there's been a big group of people that have put this together.
Give it up for our emcee, Becca.
We want to thank Abahuddin and the Kurdish community.
Mohammed from the Afghan community
Other members of the Iranian community
Nari and others
Thank you so much
This wouldn't have happened without
The partnership of the
Mayor's Office of Community Engagement
And we want to thank two special people
Leslie and Claudia Guzman
They have the same last thing
But they're not related and they'll tell you that
So we want to thank you from the bottom of my heart
Please help me and join me
Welcome Mr. Mayor
the mayor of the greatest frickin' city in the world.
Thank you so much.
And then someone leaves their phone here, so let's say, here we go.
Okay, here we go.
What are we going to do with this guy?
From now on, we're just going to have to call his wife and put together a checklist.
But I do want to thank all of you for being here this afternoon.
This is such an important time for our, not just for our city, but for our nation's history.
and our MCD you did an amazing job and you know I was listening to the vocals
of the wonderful solo that was performed and I thought to myself
If I had to sing or talk and spin in a circle, I wouldn't be mayor but much long for a very long time.
But just to know that our cultures are being preserved in this generation is a very powerful testament to who we are as a city.
You know, it is truly an honor, though, to celebrate Nehruz, the Persian New Year,
as we reflect and think about all of the possibilities that our future has.
we don't have that type of reflection
without fully understanding how far we've come
so that's why I want to take a moment
to just thank a few people
again, Ismaili, the council head of communications
Ismail, I'll make sure I say the name right
Ghaziani
and of course Rahim Hunja
from the Shia Ismaili Muslim community
of the Iranian community of Illinois and the New Americans Advisory Council member, Dr. Ali Tarok,
and Afghan community of Illinois, Illinois member, Mohamed Salah,
and Iranian community Illinois leader, Rebecca Rabizadeh,
Rabizadeh, all right, and then, of course, to the Kurdish community member, Bahandi Hariani.
Did I get all those right?
All right.
You know, the reason why I wanted to make sure we took time to just thank all of those individuals
is because we don't build a better, more inclusive economy without true leadership,
those who are committed to not just the preservation of our communities and our culture,
but for the energy that they bring to bring about the type of transformation that our communities deserve.
You know, as we celebrate Nauru's, so many people that celebrate Ramadan and wanted to wait until Ramadan was over so that we could all celebrate together is another example of how our communities are respectively coming together.
You know, it's not just the symbols of renewal and rebirth and this fresh start.
It's about all of the activities and the actions that we take in order to ensure that this celebration becomes more than just a moment where we clap and sing and reflect.
But it allows us to think about how our optimism moving forward brings about the type of transformation that our communities deserve.
You know, our city is what it is today because of the cultural exchanges and the rich history that we all share together.
And so today, Nauru is celebrated by so many people, Iranian, Pakistani, Afghan, Turkish, the Kurdish communities, Central Asia, the Middle East.
That is truly what Chicago is about.
We are a very proud city that is home to so many different groups.
Our communities are vibrant.
the contribution that all of these respective communities add to the soul
and the fabric of our city is something that quite frankly is immeasurable and I
just think it's also important just to elevate even the very rug that you know
we are standing on today I understand that this is a symbol of the soul of
Chicago the very fabric and the different stitches and designs that keep
connected and I understand that this is handmade is that correct so whoever made
this talk to me I have a gift closet that I might never mind all right that
was a bad joke I actually have a basement at home but all of these
respective groups serve as leaders and activists and business owners educators
public service. And it's through your service and outreach and advocacy that's helping us build a better, stronger and a much safer Chicago.
For those of you who recently arrived in Chicago seeking refuge, you know, of course, you may know the symbolism of Nauru's beginnings of peace and promise for a brighter city.
And so today we use this day to serve as a reminder that Chicago stands as a place of safety.
We stand as a community that warmly embraces those from around the globe to create opportunities for those who are seeking better futures.
So as we come together today to celebrate and we break bread and share our culture and traditions,
we are truly showing the country and the world that Chicago is not just one of the most diverse cities in America,
but we are the greatest freaking city in the world.
So in closing, I want to thank you all for showing up today to celebrate with us.
So many reasons that people use to be angry, to be upset, to be divisive.
But today is a reminder that our communities are stronger because we are building a more inclusive economy together.
And so I want to take a moment to recognize, because it's really my honor,
Ismaili, for the passing of the 49th Amman, His Highness Prince Kareem Aga Khan IV,
who served as the hereditary Amman for 67 years before his passing on February 4th.
I also do, as we recognize and remember this incredible leader,
I also want to congratulate and encourage His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan,
the fourth, the 50th hereditary Amman of the global Shia Ismaili Muslims.
And so now the city would like, would love to honor this great occasion.
And so let us do this by the various rituals that we do possess.
But the City Hall, unfortunately, will not let us do any of the fire and water rituals.
But we can still celebrate a new start for each other and continue to challenge each other to live lives that are focused on renewal, peace, and prosperity.
So I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe and successful new year.
And so really, from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of the City of Chicago, happy New Roots to everyone here today.
So if you all would please join me, I won't read the entire proclamation, but whereas the meaning of New Day is an ancient festival making for just this incredible arrival of the spring season, celebrated for 3,000 years across diverse communities.
This is truly a recognition of rebirth, renewal, and, of course, the enduring spirit of our humanity.
And so, therefore, be it resolved, I, Mayor Brandon Johnson of the City of Chicago, do hereby recognize the Rue's holiday
and urge all residents of the City of Chicago to celebrate as the spring season comes into play.
Thank you all very much, and this date, the 8th day of April 2025, will go down yet in history as one of the greatest days in the history of Chicago. So happy New Roos, everyone.
So if you're part of the Iranian community and want to be in the photo, now's the time.