What is the Iranian Renaissance?
Iranian Renascence aims to organize an all encompassing movement to promote a new social, cultural and political reawakening. This undertaking will be based on Iranian thoughts and ethics in order to rescue Iran from the ongoing cultural bankruptcy, social disintegration and economic destruction.
Like the European Renaissance, the Iranian Renaissance is based on elements that belong to previous but worthy world views that have long been overlooked. While the Athens’s and Hellenistic world views were the reference for the European Renaissance, we must base ours on the brilliant and truly glorious Iranian thoughts and world views that are rooted in a millennial old ethical, national, and political legacy.
Shahnameh Ferdowsi in particular and other notable literary sources from the so called “age of wisdom” of 9th and 10th centuries abound with concepts that had traditionally addressed the individual as well as social concerns of the Iranians. These concepts include “Kheradgaraee” (Wisdom Seeking), “Daad” (Justice and Order), and “Abadsaazi” (Development). Other concepts such as “Azadegi” (Chivalry), “Daheshmandi” (Charity), “Shad Zisti” (Joyful living), and Tolerance are among the values that seem to have no place in the current Iranian system and therefore will be stressed by the “Iranian Renaissance”.
We have no choice but to embark in a radical and fundamental rebirth that calls for new thoughts and new actions based on innate but somewhat forgotten Iranian virtues and values. The time has come to rescue Iran from being a losing entity in the international arena. The time has come to raise Iran from a low rank entity internationally to a decent country that it deserves to be. If we truly want to be a winning nation and not a losing one, if we want to be a well-respected nation rather than a marginal one in the verge of demise in the international arena, we must clean up the current rotten impurities that we have been inheriting from years of religio-sectarian populism. We must aim to clean up our minds and spirits from regressive thoughts and the slimy backwardness brought about by an imposed religious system.
With sublime Iranian thoughts taken from a second-to-none Iranian literature and history, we can build a pristine universe full of wisdom that is free from ethical corruption and filled with humane intention and vigorous productive action to build a better world. We must stop committing the several centuries old mistakes and avoid the vicious cycles by leaping into our own glorious and home grown distant past. Simply, we must be reborn and rejuvenated by the Iranian Renaissance.
Of paramount importance in the Iranian Renaissance is the concept of “Jaan” or “life” be it the life of a human being, that of an animal or the Mother Nature. As great Sadie put it: “thus said the great Ferdowsi: Don’t hurt an ant that carries the seed, since it has “life” and life is sweet.”
Thus, The Iranian Renaissance Movement invites you to join and share with us your energy and your thoughts. This invitation is for all the people of the greater Iran, children of Ferdowsi and celebrators of Nowrouz. Finally, after years of cultural subjugation, victory will be ours.