Thursday, March 15, 20125:30 - 8:00 pm

Scottish Rite Cathedral150 North Madison Avenue

Pasadena, CA 91101

Made possible in part by thePasadena Arts & CultureCommission and the City ofPasadena Cultural Affairs Division

6TH ANNUAL

CELEBRATIONOFNOWRUZIN PASADENA (Iranian New Year)

A Tradition in the City of Pasadena

together with

NOROOZ IN PASADENAwelcomes you to the

TODAY’S PROGRAM

5:30 - 6:30PM — WELCOME RECEPTIONFeaturing: Traditional Persian TeahouseSavory and Sweet Persian Appetizers Persian Music and Dancers

6:30 - 8:00PM — OFFICIAL PROGRAM Welcome Remarks – Dr. Nazee Rofagha, Founder

and Director of Norooz in Pasadena

Proclamation by the Mayor of Pasadena,The Honorable Bill Bogaard

Keynote Speaker Dr. Firouz Naderi,Director for Solar System Exploration atNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

Screening of ‘The Persian Rite of Spring’; the story of Nowruzby Niloufar Talebi

ABOUT NOROOZ IN PASADENA

Norooz in Pasadena, established in 2007, is acelebration of the Persian New Year brought toPasadena through the vision of Dr. Nazee Rofagha.

Norooz in Pasadena a non-religious and non-political cultural entity. Asof 2009, Nowruz has been declared “a new Pasadena tradition” by theCity of Pasadena’s Mayor, Hon. Bill Bogaard.

The organization’s mission is to celebrate and promote Iranian arts andculture throughout Pasadena and its neighboring communities. For moreinfo visit: www.noroozpasadena.org

ABOUT FARHANG FOUNDATION

Farhang Foundation is a non-religious, non-political and not-for-profit foundation established in 2008

to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of thecommunity at large. The foundation supports academic activities inSouthern California by funding university programs, publications andconferences. The foundation also supports cultural programs such as thecelebration of Nowruz and Mehregan, theater, dance performances, filmscreenings and poetry reading in Southern California. FarhangFoundation, in cooperation with various cultural and academicinstitutions plans major programs and exhibitions about Iran and itsculture. For more info visit: www.farhang.org

DR. NADERI is the Associate Director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

responsible for project formulation and strategy. Prior to his current assignment

he was the head of the Mars Exploration Program at JPL for five years – a period

that saw the successful launch of three missions to Mars including the twin

Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. He has been with JPL for 30 years - a career

that spans program and project management for satellite communications

systems, earth remote sensing observatories, astrophysical observatories, and

planetary systems.

He is the recipient of a number of awards including NASA’s Outstanding

Leadership Medal and, NASA’s highest award - the Distinguished Service Medal.

He has also received the Technology Hall of Fame Medal and the Ellis Island

Medal of Honor. Most recently he was recognized with the 2010 William

Randolph Lovelace II Award from the American Astronautical Society (AAS) for

outstanding contributions to space science and technology. Dr. Naderi is a

Fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

NILOUFAR TALEBI was born in London to Iranian Parents. Her innovative work

combines research, writing, editing, award-winning translation, directing,

performing and more, to tell 21st century stories. She is the editor/translator of

BELONGING: New Poetry by Iranians Around the World (North Atlantic books,

2008) and the creator of multimedia pieces, Four Springs (2004) Midnight

Approaches (2006), ICARUS/RISE (2007), and The Persian Rite of Spring (2010).

She is the recipient of 4 translation awards and numerous grants; and is the

Founding Director of The Translation Project. She is the author of Atash

Soroushan (Fire Angels), a libretto about love, for the Soprano Jessica Rivera,

co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and Cal Performances, where it premiered

in 2011. Visit her at www.Niloufartalebi.com

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PERFORMERS:

Ian Price – DoholJoe C. Carson – Soor-naiGina Petrossian – DancerRosa Rojas – Dancer

Haft-Sîn design by Rose Flower Designs; Fereshteh Daniali

Traditional Persian Teahouse by Fruit Table Design by Shahnaz

Catering by The Venetian Palace

Persian Rugs and Arts display by Aladdin Rugs & Fine Arts Gallery

DR. FIROUZ NADERIDirector for Solar System

Exploration at NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory (JPL)

NILOUFAR TALEBIwriter, theater artist and

award-winning translator,creator of ‘The Persian

Rite of Spring’

Sponsors& Friends

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

IN KIND SUPPORTERS

OUR FRIENDS

Our gratitude to all of the volunteers for making this event possibleand especially the entire staff at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Mr. Mahmoud BagheriMs. Christina A. KaragiasDr. Zaven Khatcheturian Mr. Khosrow Motalaby

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Nowruz Committee Chair: Ahmad GramianEvent Chair: Dr. Nazee RofaghaProgram Director: Bita Milanian

Operations Manager: Sanam ZahirSpecial Project Director: Haydeh Shirmohammadi