Upcoming events
NOWRUZ 2024
Join us for the 4th Annual SISCA International Celebration of the Persian New Year.
Experience the richness of Persian culture at the 4th Annual SISCA International Celebration of Nowruz!
Join us at Seattle City Hall on Sunday, March 24, 2024, from noon to 5 pm for a day filled with joy, celebration, and tradition.
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Haftsin, mesmerizing music, and dances, and delight in engaging activities for all ages. From kids' activities to choir performances, art exhibits to hands-on demos, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
This year, we're excited to introduce a new feature: a collaborative multicultural celebration, highlighting the diverse tapestry of cultures that celebrate Nowruz.
Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the arrival of spring and the Persian New Year with us! This event is free and open to the public.
Come join the festivities and create cherished memories with friends and family. Hosted by Seattle Isfahan Sister City Advocacy.
This project is supported, in part, by a grant from 4Culture.
SISCA's 4th Annual Nowruz Celebration at Seattle City Hall
SISCA’s 2024 Nowruz Celebration in Seattle City Hall was a testament to the community-building power of people-to-people connections. This event illustrates what’s possible when we join hands in celebration and joy without the shackles of borders and geopolitics. Although it is hard to capture all the excitement of the day and all the work that went into making this Persian New Year celebration a reality, we hope this video will provide a window into what can happen when so many cultures and nationalities come together to celebrate and honor the ancient traditions of Nowruz. Events like this provide a marker within immigrant communities whose children can begin to draw strength, establish roots, and grow into strong, confident, and contributing members of society. Those whose traditions are celebrated feel respected; those who come to learn feel empowered to make a difference. Thank you to partner organizations, community groups, performers, volunteers, and SISCA board members who made this day possible. Thank you to 4Culture for partial support of this project. And thank you to all our guests who made this day magical by coming and supporting our efforts!
Creative Visionary: Media Content Creator, Videographer, and Photographer: Ramin Behrad
Check out photos from previous Nowruz programs.
Interested in volunteering for SISCA's 4th Annual Nowruz Celebration at Seattle City Hall?
MAHAN ESFAHANI
MAHAN ESFAHANI
Seattle Isfahan Sister City Advocacy (SISCA) and Peyvand Non-Profit Organization, in partnership with Early Music Seattle, are proud and excited to welcome back Mahan Esfahani, dubbed by The Seattle Times as “the insatiably curious harpsichordist.” Playing music that spans five centuries, Mahan will include a piece he commissioned for the harpsichord by Iranian-American composer Anahita Abbasi. Please mark your calendars, grab your tickets now (with our exclusive discount of 20%), and plan to show a warm Seattle welcome to Mahan Esfahani and Anahita Abbasi. We look forward to seeing you all at Town Hall Seattle on 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 9𝘁𝗵, 2024!
This concert is sponsored by Diana Carey and presented in partnership with Peyvand NPO and Seattle-Isfahan Sister City Advocacy (SISCA).
Discount Code: MAHAN20
Chefs Without Borders 3.0
Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen and the Seattle-Isfahan Sister City Advocacy (SISCA) are joining forces again on November 15, 2019, for the third annual Chefs Without Borders dinner. The past two dinners have been so much fun (and filled with deliciousness), we had to do it again! We are so proud to be part of this one-of-a-kind, bilateral collaboration between courageous chefs in the U.S. and Iran who are willing to take on the challenges of preparing an unfamiliar cuisine from the other side of the world.
This event is unique because a parallel Chefs Without Borders dinner was held in Iran on August 28, 2019, in the elegant Cheraghan Restaurant in Tehran. Owner Mohammadreza Fardamin, Chef Abbas Moradi, and the entire Cheraghan team enthusiastically joined in the effort. Dinner guests were thrilled with the Pacific Northwest menu created by Chef Dezi and expertly prepared by Iranian chefs. Experience this event yourself via videos and photos to be screened at the Seattle dinner on November 15.
New this year at the Seattle dinner will be a handicraft bazaar featuring handmade pieces directly from Isfahan, Iran. Also a new raffle of original artworks by Iranian and Iranian-American artists.
The Chefs Without Borders dinner in Seattle is the main fundraising event for the Seattle-Isfahan Sister City Advocacy. This group seeks to improve understanding between Iran and the U.S. Proceeds go toward supporting SISCA’s fourth-annual free and family-friendly Persian New Year (Nowruz) celebration in Seattle City Hall slated for March 15, 2020, attended annually by over 1500 from the Seattle area. Last year’s dinner proceeds also supported buying shoes for needy children in Iran and an artist event with the Seattle Symphony.
The theme this year is Peace. This wonderful evening of using food to build bridges of understanding should not be missed! What could be more delicious than eating for Peace?
.
.
آشپزان بدون مرز - سال سوم
جمعه ۱۵ نوامبر ۲۰۱۹
تالار پَلِس بالروم | سیاتل
Nowruz in Seattle 2019
Nowruz in Seattle 2019
A Celebration of Nowruz (Persian New Year) at Seattle City Hall, open to the public and FREE! Please join us for the third year as we showcase the best of what brings us together around the globe, where over 300M people observe this 3000-year-old celebration of Spring Equinox. The last two years have been resounding successes, and we hope for an even bigger crowd this year. There will be entertainment, art exhibits, booths, speakers (from American visitors to Iran to elected officials from the City and State and other organizations), and a Photo Booth!
SISCA & Seattle Symphony Present: Mahan Esfahani
Harmony Unveiled: An Evening with Mahan Esfahani
SISCA and the Seattle Symphony bring internationally acclaimed Iranian Harpsichordist MAHAN ESFAHANI to Benaroya Hall on January 12 for a special event celebrating Iranian talent locally and on the international stage!
Mahan Esfahani is one of the most in-demand harpsichordists of his time. He has performed in the world’s greatest concert halls with the world’s greatest orchestras and is now joining the Grammy-award-winning Seattle Symphony.
Join us after the performance for a special post-concert reception to meet the artist and hear about his journey as an Iranian in the world of Western classical music. Chai, wine, and Iranian hors d'oeuvres will be provided.
Chefs Without Borders 2.0
Chefs Without Borders Dinner
The Seattle Isfahan Sister City Advocacy (SISCA) and Tom Douglas Restaurants are joining forces again on November 1, 2018, for a bilateral event featuring dinners on opposite sides of the world. Last year's dinners were so much fun (and filled with deliciousness) that we had to do it again! Grab your tickets today before they sell out!
At Tom Douglas' Palace Ballroom in Seattle, Chef Dezi Bonow will prepare a traditional, four-course Iranian meal designed by popular Iranian American Chef and cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij. This special menu pays homage to the great and ancient cuisine of Persia. Parallel to this in Iran, a very successful dinner was held in Tehran’s Café Land restaurant on October 15th. This dinner featured a Pacific Northwest-inspired menu created by Tom Douglas Chef Dezi Bonow of the Carlile Room and prepared by Iranian chefs. Videos and photos of this event will be screened at the Seattle dinner on November 1st.
Nowruz in Seattle 2018
NOWRUZ IN SEATTLE – CELEBRATING PERSIAN NEW YEAR IN AMERICAN CULTURE
A Celebration of Nowruz (Persian New Year) at Seattle City Hall, open to the public and FREE! Please join us for the second year as we showcase the best of what brings us together around the globe, where over 300M people observe this 3000-year-old celebration of Spring Equinox. We had well over 1000 people come through last year and are hoping for a similar, if not bigger, crowd this year. There will be entertainment, art exhibits, booths, speakers (from American visitors to Iran to elected officials from the City and State and other organizations), and a Photo Booth!
Nowruz in Seattle 2017
Nowruz in Seattle 2017
You are invited to join us for a Nowruz (Persian New Year) Celebration in Seattle City Hall from 2-6 pm on Sunday, March 19, 2017.
This free family-oriented event will feature Persian folklore dances, live music, a kids’ activity corner, a “Travel to Iran Without Leaving Seattle!” photo booth area, community organizations, a Nowruz Table, tea and sweets, and much more!