Feast of Sympathies

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Lesson Transcript

Culture Class: Holidays in Iran, Season 1, Lesson 20 - Feast of Sympathies

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Iran Series at PersianPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Iranian holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 20, Feast of Sympathies. In Persian, it’s called Jashn-e Aatefe-ha.

Have you ever heard of the Feast of Sympathies Celebration? This celebration is the day on which people in Iran show their sympathies and affection for others by giving gifts of school supplies for children in need.

In this lesson, we will learn about how Iranian children gift-wrap bags, books, and notebooks on this day to give to their peers in need to promote equal opportunity to education for all.

Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

What other celebration in Iran is similar to Aatefe-ha?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening.

Aatefeh literally means sympathy or compassion in Persian. The purpose of holding the Feast of Sympathies celebration is to help poor children and students who can't afford to buy necessities for school, in Persian called madreseh. This celebration is typically held sometime before Mehr 1, the day school begins in Iran. On this day, all across the country, families and children give their gifts, including things like notebooks, or daftar, books, or ketaab, pens, or medaad, and other stationery to others. This is meant to instill a sense of compassion in children by having them help their peers.

Radio stations, TV stations, and newspapers begin covering the Feast of Sympathies a few days before the celebrations actually begin in order to encourage audiences to actively participate. During the celebration, they help add enthusiasm to the festivities by broadcasting images of children, or bachchehaa, gratefully receiving stationary. All throughout the day the streets are crowded with people happily bearing colorful balloons and gifts packaged in beautiful wrapping.

Though the Feast of Sympathies is a much-loved Iranian tradition, active participation in the celebration seems to have slowly diminished over time. Because of this, there have been many suggestions in recent years regarding how to change the festivities to heighten enthusiasm for the event. Many groups are working on increasing awareness of the holiday through various outlets, such as by educating children on the aims of the celebration, collecting aid from Iranians living abroad, using websites, and so on.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question-

What other celebration in Iran is similar to Aatefe-ha?

That would be the celebration Nikoo-kari, which in English means charity. Held before the Iranian New Year, Nikoo-kari involves people sending gifts and aid to the needy so that they can start their new year with a joyful heart.