Nature Day in Iran

Iran Nature Day known as Sizdah-bedar is marked on the 13th day of the current month of Farvardin corresponding to April 1, when Iranians have the tradition of spending the day outdoors. ‘’Sizdah’’ means thir­teen, and “-bedar’’ outdoors.

It is a tradition amongst the Ira­nian people to enjoy the fresh spring air of this day before ending the annual fortnightly holidays of the New Year, and to begin the work and education schedule.The tradition of leav­ing the house on the thirteenth day of Farvardin is widespread throughout Iran. It is a day that is spent outside with joy, laugh­ter and friendly gettogether. This is the last phase of the celebrations of the New Year. It is the custom of many Iranians to pass as many hours as possible outdoors. People leave their homes to go to the parks or mountains for a picnic. All kinds of food and deli­cacies are prepared with tea, sher­bet, fruits, bread, cheese, fresh herbs, noodle soup called ‘ash-e reshteh’ and herbed rice with lamb called baqalipolou and barreh are favorites. The occasion is a com­munal one and all close relatives and friends will participate. Iranian families all eat alfresco, preferably near water springs and lush green­er spots on this day. Sizdah-Bedar is the last day of the New Year holi­days. On the following day, routine life resumes; schools and offices open after almost a fortnight and life heads back to normalcy. The occasion has no religious signifi­cance and is celebrated by all. 2013

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Nature Day in other

Countries

together. This is the last phase of the celebrations of the New Year. It is the custom of many Iranians to pass as many hours as possible outdoors. People leave their homes to go to the parks or mountains for a picnic. All kinds of food and deli­cacies are prepared with tea, sher­bet, fruits, bread, cheese, fresh herbs, noodle soup called ‘ash-e reshteh’ and herbed rice with lamb called baqalipolou and barreh are favorites. The occasion is a com­munal one and all close relatives and friends will participate. Iranian families all eat alfresco, preferably near water springs and lush green­er spots on this day. Sizdah-Bedar is the last day of the New Year holi­days. On the following day, routine life resumes; schools and offices open after almost a fortnight and life heads back to normalcy. The occasion has no religious signifi­cance and is celebrated by all.

In addition to Iran, SizdahBedar is also among the festivals cele­brated in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, India, and many oth­er parts of the world. Games us­ing horse are often chosen since this animal also represents rain. Adults and older people may play the traditional game of backgam­mon. During the picnic day of Siz­dahBedar, some people also fol­low the oldest prank-tradition in the world and play jokes on each other. This has possibly led many men and women to consider that the origin of the April Fools’ Day goes back to the Iranian tradition of SizdahBedar.

The Islamic RePublic Day 

34 years ago the Iranian nation took part in a unique referendum and chose Islamic Republic as its ideal govern­ment system.

Therefore, Farvardin 12, correspond­ing to March 31 reminds a historical day in the first year after the victory of the Islamic revolution. On this fateful day, people all over Iran with an over­whelming majority of votes selected Islamic Republic system to replace the despotic unpopular hereditary regime.

One of the socio-political values is re­ferring to the votes of people. While just 50 days had passed from the victory of the Islamic revolution, Imam Khomeini (May his soul rest in peace), with a firm trust in the vigilant presence of the Ira­nian nation on the scene to determine their fate, called on the revolutionary people to rush to the opinion polls to decide the future of Iran. The late Imam didn’t impose anything on people and only stressed that he would vote to Is­lamic Republic, not a single word less or more.

True Democracy Materi­alization

Farvardin 12 is actually an obvious re­flection of a true democracy which was materialized during the first months af­ter the victory of the Islamic revolution. Since the Iranians have always loved Islam and been decisive to materialize a system based on Islamic precepts and tenets, basically there was no need to hold a referendum and opinion poll. As a matter of fact, the late Imam in­sisted on prove this reality to the world bodies that although the revolution hadbeen triumphed under the banner of Islam and for the very material­ization of Islamic system, the system would be established through the popular votes.Without doubt the Iranian nation’s response to the Imam’s demand was quite clear and unambiguous. Nonethe­less, in Farvardin 12 referendum, the Iranian nation voted for the Islamic Republic system to stabilize the revolution’s achievements. In this referendum, 98.2 percent of the Iranian people voted yes to the Islamic Republic system. Islamic system was indeed one side of the Iranian people’s slogan, namely: independence, freedom and Islamic Republic.

Freedom and Indepen­dence

The founder of the Islamic Repub­lic Imam Khomeini (May his soul rest in peace) prior to the holding of Far­vardin 12 referendum, in a message stressed two important points, one of which was the necessity of an all-out participation of people in the referen­dum and the other was the freedom of people to elect their ideal political system. In parts of his message, Imam Khomeini (May his soul rest in peace) reiterated:

“This referendum will determine the fate of our nation. This referendum ei­ther brings you to freedom and inde­pendence or to repression as in the past. All should take part in this refer­endum. You can choose any system you wish. You have the right to write whatever you want, democratic repub­lic, monarchic regime or whatever you wish.”

The Muslim Iranians who had given priority to independence, freedom and the Islamic Republic in the slogans of the revolution, had thus already an­nounced their resolute vote to the Is­lamic Republic but to stabilize the Is­lamic revolution’s achievements they enthusiastically participated at the ballot boxes. Therefore the Islamic revolutiongained its ultimate victory via approximately 100 percent vote in favour of the Islamic republic system.

The Iranian nation’s vote to the Is­lamic Republic system was the begin­ning of a new model of government inspired by the salvaging teachings of Islam which opened a new horizon to the man who had been fed up with the capitalist system and Laic regimes.

In his message on the occasion of holding the Islamic republic referen­dum, Imam Khomeini (May his soul rest in peace) said, “I announce to the world that such a referendum is unprecedented in Iran’s history where people in the whole country rushed to the opinion polls, cast their positive votes and buried forever the Pahlavi regime in the dustbin of history.

The referendum of Farvardin 10-11, 1358 in the Iranian calendar year had international messages for determin­ing Iran’s governmental system. One of the main aspects of the referen­dum was the continuation of the so­ciety’s political move to strengthen the bases of independence of the system. In every society, people’s po­litical participation has international messages. One of the most important of these messages is the reflection of the people’s political and social unityRule of People on People

The establishment of the Islamic Re­public system in Iran, in addition to de­termining the fate of the Iranian nation in the path of independence and pop­ular religious rule, has had deep and lasting impacts at the regional and in­ternational level especially in the Mid­dle East the traces of which have been revealed in the Islamic awakening in the region.

With the birth of the Islamic Repub­lic the theory of separation of religion from politics was shattered and the Is­lamic rule emerged on the basis of re­ligious teachings with its comprehen­sive capacities.

The Islamic Republic system is actu­ally the rule of people which has be­come meaningful on the basis of peo­ple’s role in setting up the system, its advancement and continuation.

During the past 33 years, the enemies of the Islamic Republic system have done their best, by planning different plots including the imposed war, as­sassination of political figures and nu­clear scientists, economic sanctions and creation of obstacle on Iran’s ac­cess to peaceful nuclear technology, to undermine the independence of the Iranian nation. But the Iranian na­tion has firmly stood on its ideals and has turned the Islamic Republic sys­tem into a clear model for other na­tions to resist against the domineering powers.

Iribnews.com