Citizenship Ceremony in Honor of Nowruz
Celebration of Canadian Citizenship Ceremony in Honor of Nowruz
On March 23, 2018, thanks to the efforts of the ParsA Foundation and the support of volunteers from the Symposium of Iranian Professionals in Quebec, for the first time in Canadian history, a Canadian Citizenship Ceremony was held by Iranians, in the name of Nowruz and in honor of Iranian culture.
This ceremony, attended by several distinguished Canadian civil and military figures, took place at one of Quebec’s oldest and most prestigious colleges, Lower Canada College. A beautifully decorated Haft-Sin table was displayed, and the traditions of Nowruz and Haft-Sin were explained in English and French by the children of Iranian families with great clarity and elegance.
At the ceremony, participants from ten different nationalities, including Iranians, received their Canadian Citizenship Certificates from the chair of the session, Mr. Sylvain Lafrance, and Dr. Helia Parsa Nejad, representing the ParsA Foundation. The Canadian national anthem was performed by the Iranian Choir of Montreal, followed by a congratulatory speech by Dr. Helia Parsanejad to the new citizens.
In addition to the national anthem, the Iranian Choir of Montreal also performed traditional and folkloric Iranian songs, which were warmly received by the audience, particularly by the chair of the event, himself a former conductor of the Canadian Symphony Orchestra. The Iranian Youth Orchestra of Montreal also showcased their talents by performing classical and traditional Iranian pieces, adding to the richness of the celebration.
On this occasion, Dr. Reza Parsa Nejad, Director of the ParsA Foundation and the Symposium of Iranian Professionals in Quebec, along with Dr. Farideh Nourian, Deputy Director of ParsA Foundation and the Symposium, spoke about the event. They expressed gratitude to the volunteers and the Iranian Choir of Montreal, emphasizing that this celebration was the result of months of consultation and collaboration between government and non-profit organizations, making it possible to honor Nowruz officially on the day of Nowruz itself. They also praised the children who, after weeks of preparation, presented the beauty of Nowruz and the Haft-Sin table in English and French. Special appreciation was extended to the young Iranian musicians whose performances were described as highly impressive and admirable.
Interested individuals, especially non-Persian speakers, were encouraged to visit the Symposium’s website to view the videos of this event (website address provided at the end of the original article).
Dr. Nourian also announced that the Citizenship Ceremony in celebration of Nowruz would be held again the following year.
As a token of appreciation, all Iranian children who participated and contributed to this ceremony received commemorative certificates from the ParsA Foundation.
