California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 2


Introduced by Assembly Member Nazarian

December 1, 2014


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 2—Relative to the Persian New Year.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 2, as introduced, Nazarian. Persian New Year.

This measure would recognize the Persian New Year celebration.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, Nowrūz, meaning the “New Day” is the name of
2the New Year in the Persian calendar; and

3WHEREAS, Nowrūz marks the first day of spring and the
4beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is celebrated on
5the day of the astronomical Northward equinox, which usually
6occurs on March 20 or the following day depending on where it
7is observed; and

WHEREAS, In Persian mythology, King Jamshid is credited with the founding of Nowrūz, while others suggest that it was founded by Zoroaster himself, although there is no clear date of its origin. Celebrating the Vernal equinox may also have been an old Babylonian tradition known before 2340 B.C.; and

13WHEREAS, Nowrūz is celebrated and observed principally in
14Iran and has spread to other parts of the world, including parts of
15Central Asia, the Caucasus, Northwestern China, the Crimea, and
16some groups in the Balkans. In Iran, Nowrūz is an official holiday
17lasting for 13 days during which most national functions, including
P2    1schools, are off and festivities take place. Also the Canadian
2Parliament, by unanimous consent, passed a bill on March 30,
32009, to add Nowrūz to the national calendar of Canada; and

4WHEREAS, The most important activity in the celebration of
5Nowrūz is setting the “haft-seen table” which literally means a
6table of seven items that start with the letter “s.” The table often
7includes items such as sumac (crushed spice of berries), senjed
8(sweet dry fruit of a lotus tree), serkeh (vinegar), and seeb (apples);
9and

10WHEREAS, Nowrūz invites us to contemplate nature’s power
11of renewal and rejuvenation, to look more deeply, not just into the
12green world outside, but at our human nature as well; and

13WHEREAS, For the people celebrating Nowrūz, it is a time to
14appreciate their rich heritage and to move forward with hope for
15a prosperous new year ahead filled with health, wealth, love, joy,
16and success; and

17WHEREAS, According to figures from the 2000 United States
18Census, over one-half of all Iranian immigrants in the United States
19lived in the State of California. In 2000, that figure was 55.9
20percent or 158,613 residents. The states with the next largest
21Iranian immigrant populations were New York, with 17,323
22residents or 6.1 percent of the population, Texas, with 15,581
23residents or 5.5 percent of the population, Virginia, with 10,889
24residents or 3.8 percent of the population, and Maryland, with
259,733 residents or 3.4 percent of the population; and

26WHEREAS, According to the 2000 United States Census, the
27largest community of Iranian descent in the United States resides
28in California, concentrated in the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills
29area. The number of Iranian descent people in this area is greater
30than the Iranian populations in the next 20 states combined; and

31WHEREAS, The Iranian population in California has grown to
32over 200,000 residents according to the 2010 United States Census.
33However, Iranian organizations and the Iranian Community
34believes the correct number may be four times that amount; and

35WHEREAS, The Small Business Administration conducted a
36study in 2008 that found that Iranian immigrants were among the
37top 20 immigrant groups with the highest rate of business
38ownership, contributing substantially to the national economy; and

P3    1WHEREAS, Iranian Americans have founded and served in
2senior leadership positions of many major American companies;
3and

4WHEREAS, The Los Angeles City Council designated the
5intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Wilkins Avenue in West
6Los Angeles as “Persian Square.” The first Persian business in the
7city opened in 1974 on the corner of Westwood Boulevard and
8Wilkins Avenue. Since then there has been an increase of Persian
9businesses and residents into the area. Many of the businesses on
10Westwood Boulevard, between Wilshire Boulevard and Ohio
11Avenue, are owned and operated by people of Persian cultural
12identity; now, therefore, be it

13Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
14thereof concurring,
That the Legislature joins the Persian and other
15communities throughout the state in celebrating March 21, 2015,
16 as the beginning of the Persian New Year and extends best wishes
17for a peaceful and prosperous Nowrūz to all Californians; and be
18it further

19Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
20of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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