The Rotary Club of Beverly Hills hosted a very special luncheon on March 27 commemorating Nowruz, the Persian New Year. This important and colorful festival brings together people of all religions, focusing on the richness and longevity of the ancient Persian culture. The first female Persian-American Councilmember of the city of Beverly Hills, Sharona Nazarian, Psy.D., facilitated the program, which included a speech on the incredible contributions of the Persian culture, from Before the Common Era to the modern day, by Houman Sarkshar, Ph.D; a traditional music performance by former mayor (and first Persian-American on the city council) Jimmy Delshad and his brothers and a mesmerizing dance performance by the acclaimed Banafsheh Sayad. In addition to festive table decorations, guests admired a special Nowruz Haft-Sin table, whose traditional elements were explained by Nazarian. The luncheon concluded with a serving of Persian ice cream, a treat sponsored by Rotarian David Mirharooni.
