PCC NEWS
PCC’s Board of Directors Meetings
The meetings of the Board of Directors were held on May 14 and June 11 to discuss and plan the activities of the Center.
Performance of Shahak and Mahak – May 17, 2025
On the evening of Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Iranian American Center (IAC), the audience enjoyed a beautiful reading and performance of Shahak and Mahak, written by Gerd Afrid. Shahak and Mahak is a romantic play that poetically explores the complexities of a relationship through folklore and symbolism. In this performance, Shabnam Tolouei and Gerd Afrid played the leading roles. The music was performed with percussion instruments by Teo Speanta Dehghan.
Annual Gathering and Elections of the Persian Cultural Center – May 18, 2025
The annual gathering of the San Diego Persian Cultural Center was held on May 18, 2025, at the Iranian School of San Diego (ISSD). The meeting started with Mr. Mahmoud Reza Pirouzian, the president of the Board of Directors, who presented a report on the activities of the past year. Following that, Ms. Fariba Babakhani-Ghazi presented the financial report, Mr. Ali Sadr reported on the activities of ISSDl, and a report on Peyk magazine was also given. Candidates then introduced themselves. At the end of the meeting, elections were held for new board members, and Ali Pirouzian, Soheil Bigdeli, Shahla Salah, and Marshia (Sadeghi) Hashemi were elected as voting members, while Mohammad Ayari and Sara Alavi were chosen as alternate members. A detailed report of this gathering is included in the following pages.
One Poet, One Poem – May 21, 2025
The thirty-ninth session of the “One Poet, One Poem” series was held virtually on May 21. In this session, the biography and poems of Amogh Bokhari were discussed. Participants also engaged in literary themes and shared their favorite poems. This program was presented by the San Diego Poetry and Literature Group, featuring Farshad Babakhani, Fariba Babakhani-Ghazi, Sepideh Shamloufard, Hajar Satarzadeh, Mana Azhideh, and Ryan Sharifi. Former ISSD students and other attendees also recited other poems.
Dastgah Singing (Tasnif Khani) with Kourosh Taghvi and Saeed Kamjou – May 30, 2025
In this program, the performers introduced the audience to the “dastgah” structure of Iranian traditional music and various modes of performance, including “tasnif.” The audience learned about the combination of poetry and music and the art of dastgah singing. They explored Iranian music through old songs accompanied by the setar and kamancheh.
Concert by Golareh Shibani – June 7, 2025
Golareh Shibani’s concert took place on Sunday, June 7, 2025, at the Iranian American Center. In this performance, she was accompanied by Safa Darvish. This was Golareh Shibani’s first concert in San Diego, where she performed her memorable songs “Don’t Say Alone…” and “In Your Cottage,” which captivated the audience.
One Poet, One Poem – June 18, 2025
The fortieth session of “A Poet and a Poem” took place on June 18. This virtual Zoom session featured the biography and poems of Seraj al-Din Qomri Amoli and was presented by members of the poetry and literature group of San Diego: Farshad Babakhani, Fariba Babakhani-Ghazi, Sepideh Shamloufard, along with young students from ISSD.
Film and Discussion Program – June 29, 2025
The May film and discussion program featured the screening of the film In the Mood for Love, produced in 2000, directed by Wong Kar-wai. The program was hosted by Mahmoud Reza Pirouzian and was shown at the IAC. In the second segment, the guest of the program, Mr. Dadyar Vakili, conducted a review and critique of the film. The session continued with questions and answers.
Youth Committee
On Tuesday, April 14, several members of the Youth Committee distributed toys and school essentials to around 60 children in the City of El Cajon. On June 10, the group held its committee meeting. The next program for this group will be a family fun night in the summer. For the exact date of this program and future events, please follow the committee’s emails and communication channels.
