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A look back at the Nowrouz celebration
Foundation
On Tuesday, March 18, the Inalco Foundation carried on this tradition by celebrating Nowruz, the festival of spring and renewal, through a unifying event that brought together lovers of Persian culture, scholars, students, and patrons.
Nowruz 2025 was both a festive and meaningful celebration, supporting Inalco’s Persian students through the funding of excellence scholarships and highlighting the vitality of Persian studies.
About Nowrouz
Nowrouz, which means "new day" in Persian, is a millennia-old festival celebrating the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature. With its Zoroastrian origins, this over 3,000-year-old tradition marks the first day of the Persian calendar. It is observed in many countries, including Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, throughout Central Asia, and parts of the Caucasus.
This celebration symbolizes hope, prosperity, and harmony with nature. It is preceded by several rituals, such as Chaharshanbeh Suri (the Festival of Fire), and is prepared through spring cleaning, wearing new clothes, and visiting loved ones.
Dive into the heart of the Nowrouz celebration!
At the Georges Dumézil Auditorium, attendees had the opportunity to hear personal accounts and meet students from Inalco’s Department of Persian Studies. Three of them had the chance to take part in an academic stay in Tajikistan - a valuable experience that deepened their language skills and cultural immersion. Through their stories, they highlighted the essential role of immersion in learning a language, as well as their personal journey discovering Persian and its traditions.
The first part of the evening ended on a moving note with a performance of Khooneye Ma, a song by Marjan Farsad, interpreted by student Ami A. Carried by powerful and melancholic melodies, the performance transported the audience to the heart of the Central Asian mountains.
“At Inalco, we are fortunate to study area-based disciplines and take courses that introduce us to the vast Central Asian steppes and mountains, and that naturally inspires a desire to go into the field. To immerse oneself fully, to really live and learn Persian on a daily basis. That’s the reason to go. But once you arrive in Tajikistan, you also need a reason to stay. The first is the academic program itself: the exchange with the National University of Tajikistan in Dushanbe offers high-quality courses. You get both Tajik and Farsi, it’s a two-in-one package. [...] Then it becomes a double immersion: not only in the language, but also through direct access to Tajik students. [...] It goes beyond just cultural exposure, it’s about gaining insight into their worldview. And in that way, the circle is complete, because it mirrors exactly what we study at Inalco.”
Jonathan G., Master's student in International Relations at Inalco, spent a semester in Tajikistan in 2022
The evening began with a poetic invitation by Justine Landau, Associate Professor of Persian Literature at Sorbonne Nouvelle and Deputy Director of the Centre for Research on the Iranian World (CeRMI – UMR 8041). Her lecture, entitled Celebrating Nowruz through Poetry: A Spring of Fire, A Verdant Spring, traced the ancestral history of Nowruz and explored the richness of Persian poetry, evoking the imagery of an eternal spring.
In this poetic continuity, Leili Anvar, Lecturer at Inalco, invited the audience to discover the timeless beauty of the Dîvân, the collection of poems by the great Persian poet Hafez of Shiraz, through readings and interpretations of his captivating verses.
Next, the Mahoor Association Ensemble and Ruhollah Ghaznavi captivated the audience with a concert of Afghan melodies, transporting listeners on a musical journey. Guests were also invited to enjoy the warmth of traditional hospitality with a Persian buffet.
The notes and flavors of Persian culture found a special resonance in the Maison de la Recherche, surrounded by Inalco’s Qajar painting collection and a selection of contemporary Iranian artworks from the gallery of Maryam Ahi, specially curated and presented for the occasion.
At the heart of the celebration, guests were invited to discover the traditional Haft Sin table. Adorned with seven items each beginning with the letter "S" in Persian, this symbolic arrangement embodies the values of health, happiness, and abundance. Every object on the table carried deep meaning, encouraging reflection and contemplation.
To accompany this moment, two readings of the Fal-e Hafez were offered by Leili Anvar, once again joined by Sylvia Bergé, actress and member of the Comédie-Française, for a poetic interlude drawn from the Divan of the great Persian poet Hafez.
This evening, rich in emotions and discoveries, was also an opportunity to highlight the Fondation Inalco commitment to students of Persian at Inalco. Every contribution matters in preserving and promoting this unique linguistic and cultural heritage.
Let’s continue supporting students of Persian together!
Supporting students of Persian means contributing to the preservation and dissemination of a language and culture that spans several centuries of history. Thanks to your donations, the Inalco Foundation can expand its excellence scholarship program and offer Persian students essential immersion opportunities. By facilitating their international mobility, you take part in a meaningful endeavor that brings together culture, education, and transmission. In addition, your support entitles you to attractive tax benefits.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this project.
Our deepest gratitude goes to the Minou Amir-Aslani Foundation for its generous support, a true testament to its commitment to education and the transmission of knowledge.
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The Fondation Inalco would also like to express its sincere appreciation to all those who helped bring this event to life:
The Persian Studies Department at Inalco
and in particular:
Mr. Amir Moghani, Lecturer at Inalco
Ms. Leili Anvar, Lecturer at Inalco
Ms. Leila Koochakzadeh, Instructor in Iranian history, geography, and Persian language at Inalco
The Center for Research on the Iranian World (CeRMI), especially:
Ms. Justine Landau, Lecturer in Persian literature at Sorbonne Nouvelle and Deputy Director of CeRMI
The Association of Alumni and Friends of the School of Oriental Languages (AAEALO)
Ms. Maryam Ahi, Founder and Director of the Maryam Ahi Gallery
The Mahoor Association Ensemble & Ruhollah Ghaznavi, with Michel Gasco, Nazir Rahguzar, and Ali Rahguzar
Café de Chiraz
The students of the Persian Studies Department at Inalco, especially:
Ami A., Lysa D., Jonathan G., Martin H. for their testimonials
& Laurence C., Maximilien H., Mobina K., Simon V., Zoé Z. for their support in organizing the event