PCC’s Board Meetings
Persian Cultural Center’s board of directors held its meetings on May 8 and June 5, 2024, to review the current activities and plan for future activities. At the June meeting, the board welcomed the new members and elected the executive board of PCC.
Pallett Concert – April 28, 2024
Pallett is a famous pop group based in Iran. The sold-out concert was held on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at the Performance Hall of Westview High School. The Pallett group consists of Omid Nemati (vocals), Mahyar Tahmasebi (cello), Shaghyegh Sadeghian (flute), Mohammad Talani (guitar), Yahya Al-Khansa (drums), and Daniele Di Cario (bass). The group performed a collection of songs from their new and old albums.
A Poet and A Poem – May 15, 2024
The 30th session of “A Poet and A Poem” took place on May 15. This virtual session featured the biography and poems of Mujir Al-din Baylaghani, presented by the Poetry and Literature Group of San Diego, along with young students from ISSD (Hajar Sattarzadeh, Ryan Sharafi, and Mana Ajideh).
Art Exhibition for Street Children of Tehran – May 18, 2024
Over 30 paintings by the street children of Tehran, ranging in age from six to sixteen, were exhibited at the Iranian American Center. The theme was “Peace.” The works of art were presented via silent auction, with all paintings sold. This event was organized by the Dollar A Month charity and PCC.
PCC Annual Meeting and Election – May 19, 2024
PCC’s annual meeting and the election of new board members was held at ISSD on May 19, 2024. To start things off, the president of the board, Mr. Mahmoud Reza Pirouzian, gave a report on PCC’s annual activities. Ms. Fariba Babakhani-Ghazi presented the financial report of Kanoon, followed by Mr. Ali Sadr with the Iranian School of San Diego and Peyk magazine reports. The program continued with the candidates introducing themselves to the audience. At the end of the meeting, the election was held and Ms. Fariba Babakhani-Ghazi and Sara Taghavi, whose three-year terms were completed, were reelected as voting members, with Ms. Sara Alavi and Ms. Marshia (Sadeghi) Hashemi elected as alternate members. The complete report of the annual meeting is presented in the following pages.
ISSD End of School Year Celebration – May 26, 2024
Students, parents, and teachers of ISSD celebrated the end of the school year on the quad of Mt. Carmel High School on May 26, 2024. The program started with all students performing the Ey Iran song. During the program, two beautiful dances were performed by the members of the Dance Academy. The winners of the “Reading Olympics” were then recognized and received their awards. Members of the class of 2024 then came on the stage to receive their graduation certificates. All student TAs were called on stage and recognized by parents and students. The celebration included fun activities such as an apple- and watermelon-eating contest and a cake walk. In the end, the students received their report cards and enjoyed delicious hot pizza.
Film and Discussion Series – May 31, 2024
The film and discussion program for May was dedicated to the screening of the film A Long Afternoon, produced in 2023. This film was screened at the Iranian American Center. The film won best film at the San Diego Mobile Film Festival in April 2024. Ms. Sahibanoo Zolghadr, the producer and director of the movie, was present at the screening. In the second part of the program, a question-and-answer session was held with Ms. Zolghadr.
PCC Youth Committee
PCC Youth Committee held its monthly meeting at ISSD on Sunday, May 19, 2024, during which members discussed future planning for the coming months. Recently, members visited a nursing home in San Diego, where they spent time with several Iranian residents and, at the end of the visit, one of the youth members played the Setar for them. Additionally, members volunteered and helped with the end-of-school-year events at ISSD. Please follow the committee’s upcoming events and activities via the PCC weekly newsletter. The PCC Youth Committee expresses sincere gratitude for your continuous support and active participation, which significantly contributes to our flourishing community.
Jong e Farhangi – June 14, 2024
After a relatively long break, the popular Jong e Farhangi, hosted by Ali Sadr, resumed on June 14 at the Iranian American Center (IAC) with the screening of a documentary film entitled Forgotten. The film depicts the life of John the Baptist, who lived as a secluded minority in the state of Khuzestan near the river Karoon. Ms. Mahnaz Rokni, the producer and director of the film, attended the screening, and the audience participated in a discussion following the presentation.
A Poet and A Poem – June 19, 2024
In a virtual event hosted by Farshad Babakhani, Fariba Babakhani-Ghazi, and Sepideh Shamloufard, the biography and poems of Seyyed Hasan Ghaznavi were presented by the Poetry and Literature Group of San Diego. Additionally, poems were recited by ISSD students, as well as other attendees of the event.
Stand-up Comedy by Arman at IAC – June 22, 2024
On June 22, Arman, the stand-up comedian, was our guest at the IAC. This was Arman’s second appearance in San Diego. He was very funny, and the audience enjoyed the program very much.
Film and Discussion – June 28, 2024
The film and discussion program for June was dedicated to the screening of the film Lerd (A man of Integrity) directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, at the Iranian American Center. In the second part of the program, a question-and-answer session was held.