Featured Photo: Sari Melal Park, A Symbol of Peace with Nations. Sari in the Iranian Province of Mazandaran is one of the Cities organizing as International Cities of Peace.
Iranian International Cities of Peace
In March, 2021, we welcomed Tehran as the first International City of Peace in Iran. Since then, there has been a rising movement in all the Provinces of Iran to establish towns and cities as Cities of Peace. The Association of International Cities of Peace defines peace as the consensus values of Safety, Prosperity, and Quality of Life for all in the community. Each City of Peace, as it is established, will be featured on this page. For more information on each community, please contact the lead facilitator in Iran, Mr. Ali Akhlaghi of the mentoring organization, Sarbaz Solh, or The House of Iran’s Peace Corp: info@sarbazsolh.ir
Links to Iranian International Cities of Peace
The Capital of Iran, Tehran, has its own web page on the International Cities of Peace website.
• Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Cities of Peace in the Provinces are listed in order on this web page as shown below:
• Sari, Mazandaran Province, Iran
Mentoring Organization: Sarbaz Solh is the main and the leading Non-Governmental Organization in Iran focusing on promoting peace all over the country by boosting safety, prosperity and quality of life. Initiating the International Cities of Peace movement in Iran is a continuation of the peace work the organization is accomplishing in Iran and other parts of the world. The Cities of Peace in the Provinces of Iran are being initiated by the main advocate of Sarboz Solh in the region.
Ali Akhlaghi, The Chief Communications Officer in Sarbaz Solh says: “The ancient culture of Iran is full of traditions and rituals that recognizing and applying them in life will lead to inner peace, social peace and the ultimate peace with nature. We are endeavoring to pave the true path to sustainable peace by extracting these ancient treasures and introducing them to the whole world.”
Note: Introduction page with information primarily at the time of joining International Cities of Peace. For updates, please contact the liaison.
Sari, Mazandaran Province, Iran, the City of Peace
Ali Damadi, the local representative of Khaneh Sarbaz Solh Iran (The House of Iran’s Peace Corps) in Sari and his colleagues have established their City as an International City of Peace.
The first Iranian ethnic festival for “Nowruz and Peace” was held in Sari by the local office of Sarbaz Solh with the participation of several Iranian traditional groups with the motto of national peace, regional solidarity and peace for all human beings.
What is Nowruz and why do we celebrate it?
According to the United Nations data, Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in ancient Iran including the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.
Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous peoples, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.
Ghasem Rahimi, The founder and the CEO of Sarbaz Solh believes this Caravan of Peace is a manifestation of the peaceful coexistence of the Iranian people. Iranians have a spirit of peace and despite variety of ethnic groups, they have never engaged in conflicts with each other.
“Peace begins inside the human and extends to society and the environment,” writes Liaison Ali Damadi, “and it grows up in respecting to all. Peace comes from knowledge, insight and awareness, and in order to build a peaceful society, awareness must be spread in the society. The city of peace is where the people are in safety, prosperity and high quality of life. The citizens there all feel responsible to promote the culture of peace.”
Vision:
To boost safety, prosperity and quality of life of all citizens so that they all feel the real taste of peace in their lives.
Mission:
- Empowering the tourism infrastructures as the main media to promote peace
- Running the peace tours for the domestic and foreign tourists
- Compiling all customs and peace oriented traditions documents to hand out to all visitors and tourists
- Setting up the cultural center of Peace in the city to organize all events and educational courses
Mazandaran Province in Iran has been chosen as the tourism capital city of the Economic Cooperation Organization or ECO in 2022.
LIAISON FOR SARI
Ali Damadi was born in 1982 in Savad Kouh, Mazandaran Province, Iran. He achieved a MA in Natural Resourcing Engineering and serves as the Local Manager of Khaneh Sarbaz Solh Iran in Sari. Mr. Damadi is an author, researcher, poet and peace activist with several articles and books on Peace. He is the Founder of a research institute in Sari to conduct scientific, cultural and social studies of Mazandaran indigenous culture and art to promote the culture of peace
Contact information: ali.damadi@gmail.com
Quote from Ali Damadi: “Peace begins inside the human and extends to society and the environment; and it grows up in respecting to all. Peace comes from knowledge, insight and awareness, and in order to build a peaceful society, awareness must be spread in the society. The city of peace is where the people are in safety, prosperity and high quality of life. The citizens there all feel responsible to promote the culture of peace.”
Mentoring Organization: Sarbaz Solh is the main and the leading Non-Governmental Organization in Iran focusing on promoting peace all over the country by boosting safety, prosperity and quality of life. Its local office in Sari, Provine of Mazandaran, is performing the tasks based on the main criteria of the headquarters but via local strategies and tools in the region.
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