Nowrouz - Iranian New Year celebration in House of Lords

Uncle Nowrouz

A special reception was held in the House of Lords yesterday, to mark Nowrouz, the Iranian New Year. The event was hosted by Lord Carlisle of Berriew CBE QC, Lord Clarke of Hampstead CBE and the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom.

Lord Alton, Baroness Masham and Lord Harries Bishop of Oxford were among those attending the party which was presided over by Amoo - Uncle Nowrouz - a figure in elaborate robes and a long white beard.

The Haft Seen table was a major feature of the room. This tradition in every Persian home at Nowruz, includes seven items beginning with the letter S: Sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil seeds sprouting in a dish - symbolising rebirth; Samanu - a sweet pudding made from wheat germ symbolising affluence; Senjed - the dried fruit of the oleaster tree symbolising love; Sir - garlic symbolising medicine; Sib - apples for health and beauty; Somaq - sumac berries for the colour of sunrise and Serken, vinegar for age and patience. There was also a bowl of water with goldfish, a holy book and decorated eggs.

The Nowruz festival celebrates the awakening of life at the beginning of spring and the triumph of good over the evil forces of darkness that are represented by winter. This theme was reflected by a number of addresses. Many voiced concern over the increasingly repressive regime in Iran. Since the new president came to power, Amnesty International has reported, the number of arrests and public executions has increased dramatically.

Expressing his support for the National Council of Resistance in Iran, which is seeking democratic reforms in Iran, Lord Alton expressed the hope that Maryan Rajavi, leader of the NCRI could come to England again soon to speak.

He ended by saying that as at this time of year, the bonfire is lit to mark the triumph of light over darkness - "Isn't this a time to make a bonfire of theocracy, a bonfire of the abuses of human rights, a bonfire of the treatment of women in Iran, a bonfire of the way that religious minorities and political minorities are discriminated against .. isn't this a time to ensure that we see fundamental and real change - to make a bonfire of all that is gone in the past and a time to give the wonderful people of Iran - its one of the most civilised nations in the world - the freedom, the human rights to which they aspire to."

For more information on the NCRI see: www.ncr-iran.org/en/

Visit Maryam Rajavi's website here: www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/