Yaldā Night Cultural Festival held for UT International Students

On 20 December, 2022, a cultural festival was held at Molavi Hall, 16 Azar Street for international students. The program included cultural and artistic performances along with presentations on Yalda night. 

Yalda Night:

Yaldā Night (Persian: شب یلدا shab-e yalda) or Chelle Night (Persian: شب چلّه shab-e chelle) is an Iranian festival celebrated on the winter solstice. This corresponds to the night of December 20/21 (±1) in the Gregorian calendar, and to the night between the last day of the ninth month (Azar) and the first day of the tenth month (Dey) of the Iranian solar calendar.

The festival is celebrated in Iran and other historically Iranian-influenced regions, including Azerbaijan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Balochi areas, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The longest and darkest night of the year is a time when friends and family gather together to eat, drink and read poetry (especially Hafez) and the Shahnameh until well after midnight. Fruits and nuts are eaten and pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. The red color in these fruits symbolizes the crimson hues of dawn and glow of life. The poems of Divan-e Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of most Iranian families, are read or recited on various occasions such as this festival and Nowruz. Shab-e Yalda was officially added to Iran's List of National Treasures in a special ceremony in 2008.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia