Eleanor Roosevelt regarded the Universal Declaration as her greatest accomplishment.

This post contains a complete translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Persian. The official UN page in Persian and Dari is more like a joke, as if it is designed to be hidden and not accessible. The text in those pages is all in image form, scanned from an old booklet, in bad quality. The translation belongs to 60 years ago

So I decided to post the Declaration here. This translation is done a few years ago by Mohammad Jafar Pouyandeh.

Last year, while I was walking around Zand avenue, I saw some pictures of Siroos Ghahremani at a photo store’s window. I went in and bought a few digital copies of the available pictures. Some were digitally tinted, and some were still in original black and white.

These pictures show a glimpse of an era in Shiraz’ history, a period of transition from of an older life to another one. I still don’t understand many things in these pictures, like why the “Imperial” army and police forces are involved in his shows, or why people give him a “cup of victory” as the winner of a one-man competition. Nevertheless one still finds them interesting to see.

Read the President’s Message in: Arabic (pdf) | Persian (pdf)

Obama issued an unprecedented videotaped appeal to Iran on Friday, offering a “new beginning” of diplomatic engagement to turn the page on decades of United States policy toward a country America has long been at odds with.

Here is the video with subtitles in Persian:

* Remarks of President Obama (Celebration of Nowruz، Washington, DC):

Today, I want to extend my very best wishes to all who are celebrating Nowruz around the world. This holiday is both an ancient ritual and a moment of renewal, and I hope that you enjoy this special time of year with friends and family.

In particular, I would like to speak directly to the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Nowruz is just one part of your great and celebrated culture. Over many centuries, your art, music, literature and innovation have made the world a better and more beautiful place. Here in the United States, our own communities have been enhanced by the contributions of Iranian-Americans. We know that you are a great civilization, and your accomplishments have earned the respect of the United States and the world.

For nearly three decades, relations between our nations have been strained. But at this holiday, we are reminded of the common humanity that binds us together. Indeed, you will be celebrating your New Year in much the same way that we Americans mark our holidays – by gathering with family and friends, exchanging gifts and stories, and looking to the future with a renewed sense of hope.

Within these celebrations lies the promise of a new day – the promise of opportunity for our children; security for our families; progress for our communities; and peace between nations. Those are shared hopes. Those are common dreams.

So in this season of new beginnings, I would like to speak clearly to Iran’s leaders.

We have serious differences that have grown over time. My Administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties among the United States, Iran, and the international community. This process will not be advanced by threats. We seek, instead, engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect.

You, too, have a choice. The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations. You have that right – but it comes with real responsibilities. And that place cannot be reached through terror or arms, but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilization – and the measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create.

So on the occasion of your New Year, I want you, the people and leaders of Iran, to understand the future that we seek. It is a future with renewed exchanges among our people, and greater opportunities for partnership and commerce. It is a future where the old divisions are overcome – where you, and all of your neighbors and the wider world can live in greater peace and security.

I know that this won’t be reached easily. There are those who will insist that we be defined by our differences. But let us remember the words that were written by the poet Saadi (SAH-dee) so many years ago: “The children of Adam are limbs to each other, having been created of one essence.”

With the coming of a new season, we are reminded of this precious humanity that we all share. And we can once again call upon this spirit as we seek the promise of a new beginning.

Thank you. And Eid-eh (Aid-eh) Shoma (Sho-mah) Mobarak (Mo-bah-rak)

On Thursday, March 12, 2009 Roger Cohen and had a discussion with some members of the Los Angeles Iranian Jewish Community, about his pieces in New York Times. The event was moderated by Rabbi David Wolpe at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles. Watch the video:

It is not clear who is behind the online version of Dehkhoda Encyclopedia of Persian at “loghatnaameh.com”. Unlike Steingass’ Persian-English dictionary or Hayyim’s New Persian-English dictionary the people behind this project are completely hidden. On the website there is not any mention of the people who have worked on the project, neither there is any information about their methodology, rules of conversion, and the sources of funding. Even checking the domain name’s Whois does not show any information about the domain’s owner. Interestingly enough, despite all the ambiguities about the site’s owners they have the nerve to ask the visitors to donate to their project. Sure enough, there are also poeple who donate to the site through a free Blogger page with no information about the owner, connected to a Paypal account that does not reveal anything but a free email address.

Personally, I never dare to send money to such a website, but I appreciate their work. They have done something the government-run Dehkhoda Institute should have done years ago.

No. 65:

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No. 70: