Iranian Student Group Celebrates Persian New Year in Kerckhoff Hall
Westwood, Calif. – Mar. 13, 2020 – Spring is taking shape around UCLA, especially in Kerckhoff Hall, where the Iranian Student Group has set up a Sofreh Haft Seen, in celebration of the Persian New Year. This year, Persian New Year will take place on Mar. 19, at 8:49 p.m.
Norooz, or Persian New Year, is an annual, worldwide celebration that takes place on the Spring Equinox. The celebration traces its roots to the Zoroastrians in ancient Persia and symbolizes the new beginnings that come with springtime. Traditional Persian New Year activities include seasonal cleaning of the home, buying new clothes, and setting up a Sofreh Haft Seen, which translates to “Table of Seven S’s.” Traditionally, the Sofreh Haft Seen is prepared within the week before Persian New Year and will stay up through the rest of the month. The table includes a minimum of seven items, all of which begin with the “S” sound in the Iranian language.
UCLA students, faculty, and staff are welcome to visit the second-floor lounge inside Kerckhoff Hall to experience the Iranian Student Group’s Sofreh Haft Seen, which includes sabzeh (sprouts),seeb (apples), seer (garlic), senjed (dried lotus fruit), sham (candles), shirini (sweets) and sonbol (hyacinth, a spring flower), among other items.
