Thursday Nights: Persian New Year Traditions
On-site at the museum
Celebrate the beginning of spring.
Satisfy your appetite for culture on Thursday Nights at the Asian Art Museum. Roam the galleries and discover your favorite artwork, mix and mingle with friends old and new while savoring a drink and a bite to eat, and shop the boutique. On Mar. 24, welcome spring with personal stories about the traditions of the Persian New Year (Nowruz), which is celebrated on the vernal equinox. Drop by Bogart Court at 7 p.m. to listen as community members Homa Hanjani and Niloufar Sarafpour share how Nowruz is celebrated and what it means to them.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Homa Hanjani was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and immigrated to the United States in 1985. She began her career in education as an elementary school teacher, creating a space where her students could take pride in their own heritage and traditions. In 2000, the museum asked Hanjani to develop a hands-on experience for children to celebrate Nowruz. She currently teaches at San Francisco Day School, a K–8 independent school.
Niloufar Masheghani was born in Tehran, Iran. She received her doctorate in pharmacy in Iran and in 1997 immigrated to the United States, where she works as a clinical hospital pharmacist. During the past 12 years, Masheghani has made several presentations about Persian traditions, such as Yalda (the winter solstice celebration) and Nowruz (celebration on the vernal equinox), to elementary school audiences in San Francisco. She loves learning about the cultural traditions of others and, in turn, sharing Persian culture through poetry, cooking, and hospitality.
