"A Pol to Iran" represents a selection of Iranian traditions, influencers, and businesses.
It is a bridge to the culture!

For the first prototype of POL, we are focusing on Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. We have put together an interactive experience to address some misconceptions, and interests and direct you to platforms to explore and stay connected to the Iranian community.

The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz), means new day; its spelling and pronunciation may vary by country.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and other regions.

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Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.

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Its traditions and rituals reflect the cultural and ancient customs of the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values.

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Celebrating Nowruz means the affirmation of life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labour and natural cycles of renewal and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life. To celebrate and get ready for the new year, it is a tradition to set up a table called Haft-seen.

Let's explore the culture
through haft-seen!

Haft-seen is an arrangement of seven symbolic items whose names start with the letter "س" (pronounced as "seen"), the 15th letter in the Persian alphabet; "haft" (هفت) is Persian for "seven".

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Sonbol (سنبل) | Hyacinth
The symbol of spring's arrival

The Haft-Seen table represents nature. By tradition, Iranian families take great pains to create the most beautiful Haft-Seen table that they can, for not only does it embody values both traditional and spiritual, it is also appreciated by the visitors during Nowruz visiting exchanges as a reflection of the families' aesthetic sense and good taste.

Seer (سیر) | Garlic
The symbol of health and medicine

I don't know about you but when I hear Garlic, I think of food! Here are some amazing resources to get familiar with traditional and fusion Iranian dishes.

Sekkeh (سکه) | Coin
The symbol of wealth and prosperity

Now that we mentioned prosperity, let me introduce you to some of the Iranian businesses, Artists, and Successful people located all around the world!

Sib (سیب) | Apple
The symbol of beauty

When you're asked about Iran's weather and climate, you probably think of... let's be honest, a desert. Sorry to break it to you, but we get all the 4 seasons in Iran! You can experience hot weather and cold all at the same time if you travel from the North to the South of Iran. Put that together with Art and Architecture and I call that the beauty of Iran.

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Here are some Instagram pages that actively share great content about Iran: 

Serkeh (سرکه) | Vinegar
The symbol of patience

Patience with grapes either gives you vinegar or wine!

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Iran and wine go way back! An ancient clay jar has pride of place at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia in the US. It was one of six discovered by a team of American archaeologists at a site in the Zagros mountains in northern Iran in 1968. The jars date back to the Neolithic period more than 7,000 years ago and provide the first scientific proof of the ancient nature of Iranian wine production. Chemical analysis on one of them revealed that a dark stain at the bottom was actually wine residue. "This is the oldest chemically-identified wine jar in the world". 

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Here you can find a link to a great Iranian winery in California and an amazing woman-owned brewery based in New York.

Senjed (سنجد) | Oleaster
The symbol of love

And Music is the mutual love language of us all!

Below you can listen to a playlist made of some traditional Iranian music.

Sabzeh (سبزه) | Sprouts
The symbol of rebirth and growth

Sabze is wheat, barley, lentil, or other sprout grown in a dish or pot that symbolizes rebirth.

On the 13th day of the New year, it's a tradition to spend the day out in nature and throw the Sabze into running water, like a river.