Norouz 2026 (1405): A New Day, A New Chapter

Norouz 2026—marking the year 1405 in the Persian calendar—carries a special meaning. This year for Iranians, Norouz is more than the arrival of spring; it is a turning point, a moment to close one chapter and begin another. Its very name, Norouz, means “new day,” a reminder of renewal, resilience, and hope.

Traditionally, Norouz is one of the world’s oldest continuously celebrated holidays. Its roots reach back over three millennia to ancient Iran, where it was closely connected to Zoroastrian beliefs and the celebration of the vernal equinox—the moment when nature awakens and light overtakes darkness. Historical evidence suggests that Norouz was celebrated during the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BCE), when representatives from across the empire gathered at Persepolis to present gifts and mark the new year.

The spirit of Norouz lives on through cherished traditions. Festivities begin with Chaharshanbe Suri, on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, when people light bonfires and leap over the flames, symbolically leaving behind hardship and welcoming health and warmth. Homes are carefully cleaned in a ritual of renewal, and families prepare the Haft-Seen table, arranging seven symbolic items that begin with the Persian letter “S,” each representing life, growth, and prosperity.

At the moment of the equinox, families gather around the Haft-Seen, wearing new clothes, exchanging gifts, and sharing sweets, fruit, and tea. The celebrations continue with visits to relatives and friends and conclude on the thirteenth day, Sizdah Bedar, when families spend the day outdoors, enjoying nature with games, music, and laughter.

This year, however, the spirit of celebration is tempered by sorrow. Many Iranians are mourning losses, and communities around the world stand in solidarity with those affected. Iran has endured one of the most difficult periods in its recent history.

And yet, the essence of Norouz remains unchanged. It is a quiet but powerful reminder that renewal follows hardship. On March 20, at the exact moment of the spring equinox, Iranians around the world will once again gather at their Haft-Seen tables—honoring tradition, remembering what has been lost, and welcoming the new year with resilience and renewed hope.

Professional Legal Translation You Can Trust

Legal translation is not just about converting words from one language to another—it’s about accuracy, clarity, and legal precision. Every contract, court document, or compliance file carries serious implications, and even a small error can create misunderstandings, delay processes, or pose legal risks. That’s why professional translation matters.

Low-cost translation typically relies on:

Machine translation with minimal editing
Non-specialized translators
Little to no quality control

Our rates reflect the level of responsibility involved in translating legal documents, including contracts, court filings, compliance materials, and corporate documentation.

Each legal translation includes:

* Human translation by a qualified legal translator

* Careful handling of legal terminology and jurisdiction-specific language

* Consistency checks across clauses and reference

* Quality review to ensure clarity and legal accuracy

Even for documents such as birth, marriage, or death certificates, where the language may be standard, attention to presentation and official recognition is critical.

Because, it isn’t just a translation; it’s an official document accepted by authorities.

Update on ATA Farsi Certification: A Milestone for Farsi–English Translation

As 2025 comes to a close, an important milestone has been reached within the translation profession: the American Translators Association (ATA) has formally recognized the Persian–English (Farsi-English) language pair. This recognition opens the door for an ATA certification exam for Persian–English for the first time.

For the Farsi-speaking community and for the many institutions, attorneys, courts, and individuals who depend on high-quality Persian–English translations in the United States, this is a meaningful step forward.

A Long Road, Now Open
The path to this recognition was neither short nor simple. Like many initiatives that seek to formalize professional standards, it required sustained effort, coordination, and persistence. While challenges arose along the way, the most important outcome is that the goal has now been reached: a clear pathway toward ATA certification for this language pair.

Looking ahead to the first Persian–English ATA certification exam, translators and stakeholders alike can anticipate broader access to qualified, credentialed professionals and a continued emphasis on quality.

What’s in a Name?
As part of this process, the ATA adopted the designation “Persian–English” rather than “Farsi–English,” reflecting the preference of the group that ultimately advanced the recognition effort. This brings us back to a familiar and frequently discussed question: What’s in a name?

Whether one uses the term Farsi or Persian, the language itself remains the same. What matters most is not the label, but the outcome—ensuring that the Farsi-speaking community and all related stakeholders have access to accurate, reliable, and professional translation services.

Looking Ahead
For those interested in learning more about ATA certification and future exam offerings, the ATA remains the best source for current and official information.

As this initiative moves forward under new leadership and continued community involvement, we recognize and appreciate the support that helped bring it to this point. Collective effort and shared commitment made it possible to overcome early obstacles and reach key milestones.

This moment marks not an end, but a foundation—one that supports higher standards and greater recognition for Persian–English translation in the years to come.

The Night Of Yaldā

Yaldā Night – A Timeless Tradition of Warmth and Light

Derived from the Syrianic word for “birth,” Yaldā (یلدا) is a celebration of renewal and hope. This enchanting night marks the winter solstice—the longest and darkest night of the year—falling on December 20th or 21st.

What Happens on Yaldā Night?

Savor the Flavors of Tradition: Indulge in seasonal fruits like pomegranates and watermelons, symbolizing life and renewal.
Dive into Timeless Literature: Share poetry from Hafez or epics from the Shahnameh, fostering reflection and connection.
Cherish the Company of Loved Ones: Spend the evening sharing laughter, stories, and memories until well past midnight.
Yaldā Night isn’t just an evening—it’s an experience that bridges the past and present, lighting the way for brighter days ahead.

Rooted in ancient Iranian traditions, Yaldā Night symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and celebrates the birth of Mithra, the Sun God. Families and friends gather to welcome the new season with warmth, joy, and togetherness.

Women In Iran

With the recent happenings in Iran, which raise the underlying question of why we ended up here, one might ask what really the identity of Iranian women is. It is obvious that the government of Iran is trying to change the way women see themselves and who they identify with. This is actually a very good question.

Research shows that Iranian women had a higher place in society and were treated as equal to men in the ancient Persia. The King’s mother and Principal wife led an autonomous life.

“The Principal wives had their own court, could sign agreements with their own seal, and had unlimited access to the King. Women could choose their own husbands, and did so when they were not asked to marry for political purposes. Concubines were often non-Persian women and, accordingly, could not marry into royalty but were still respected as women of high rank. Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE) added a harem building at Persepolis close to his palace, suggesting the elevated status of the women.” (See Women In Ancient Persia)

During the Achaemenid Period, women could serve in the military. “Scholar Kaveh Farrokh notes that ‘tombs attesting to the existence of Iranian-speaking women warriors have [been found in Iran and] also been excavated in Eastern Europe’ (128).’’ (See Women In Ancient Persia) Wealthy businesswomen existed and had their own entourage and commanded their own workforce.

“Women labored alongside men in the workforce and were often supervisors and managers. There was no difference in pay based on gender; one’s salary was based solely on one’s level of skill and experience in the job. Pregnant women, however, received higher wages as did new mothers for the first month after the birth of their child.”(See Women In Ancient Persia)

So why are we still struggling to define the identity of Iranian women?

Farsi Translation Center Receives 2022 Best of Caldwell Award

It was four pm on a Thursday when I received an email from a client. He had a large number of Persian (Farsi) court documents to translate into English. He was frustrated because the court needed the translations promptly at 9:00 am the following Monday. My team and I began working right away. Our first challenge was the subpar resolution of the documents. My associate came up with a plan and began communicating with the client directly to have the problem solved. Soon after, we started working on the translation. We completed the translations by the end of the weekend.

A few days later the client called to let us know that the judge had accepted the documents and that the case was ruled in his favor. We couldn’t be happier for him. “Thank you for your insights and for bringing such professionalism and expertise to the task. We appreciate the quick turnaround time and attention to details”, he wrote. I am honored to accept the 2022 Best Of Caldwell Award. The Caldwell Award Program identifies companies that are believed have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. We are grateful for being noticed for the work we do in the Tri-State area. We owe this achievement to the hard work and dedication of our team of translators and our developer, Olga Trubnikova.

The Caldwell Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Caldwell area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value. It was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Its mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.

Parvin E’tesami

April 4 was the Remembrance Day of Parvin E’tesami. Parvin is known as “The most famous” 20th Century Iranian female poet (1907–1941).

She grew up in an intellectual environment, under supervision of her father Yusuf Etesami who had a literary background. Women’s lives were very restricted during that time in Iran, and poetry was the only art in which a woman could express her thoughts and feelings. In such an atmosphere, Etesami and other early modern women writers in Iran provided a strong feminist claim for women’s rights.

In one of her poems, “A Twig of a Wish”, she asserts women’s importance by pointing out that women are in charge of nurturing and educating all children (both male and female), they should have greater respect and an equal chance for education as men.
She was a member of the Kanoun-e-Banovan and supported the Kashf-e hijab reform against compulsory hijab (veiling).

Her father died in 1938, and she died only three years later of Typhoid fever. She was buried near her father in Qom, near the Masumeh shrine.

Parvin Etesami’s house became an Iranian national heritage site on October 19, 2006.

Languages Are Fluid

Did you know that:

In France ‘entrée’ stands for ‘hors d’oeuvre’ or ‘appetizer’ and not the main course?

And so the ‘manicure’ comes from the French word ‘manucure’?

It is interesting how languages change over time when they travel from mouth to mouth. But if we look at the origins of words we can learn a lot!

As an example, there is neighborhood in Abadan, Iran that is called Kafisheh (کفیشه or
Kafeesheh). Abadan (Persian: آبادان Ābādān, pronounced [ʔɒːbɒːˈdɒːn]). It is a city and capital of Abadan County, Khuzestan Province, which is located in the southwest of Iran. It lies in Abadan Island and has a history intertwined with the British exploitation of the rich oil fields in the region.

It was not until the 20th century that rich oil fields were discovered in the area. On 16 July 1909, after secret negotiation with the British consul, Percy Cox, assisted by Arnold Wilson, and Sheik Khaz’al agreed to a rental agreement for the island, including Abadan. The Sheik continued to administer the island until 1924. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company built their first pipeline terminus oil refinery in Abadan, starting in 1909 and completing it in 1912, with oil flowing by August 1912 (see Abadan Refinery). Refinery throughput numbers rose from 33,000 tons in 1912–1913 to 4,338,000 tons in 1931. By 1938, it was the largest in the world.

So the British presence in Abadan brought Western language and culture into the city.
Consequently, a coffee shop opened in one of the neighborhoods. So the coffee shop became a landmark and the neighborhood became known as the “Coffee Shop”. The locals who were unfamiliar with English pronounced the word differently. And so over time, the word Kafisheh or کفیشه was born.

Chaharshanbeh Souri (چهارشنبه سوری) or ‘The Scarlet Wednesday’

Also called Charshanbe Soori is an Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year. It is the first festivity of the Noruz Celebrations festival (the Iranian New Year). The last eve between Tuesday and Wednesday of the year, before the vernal equinox. Also observed by Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Tajikistan, Turkey (by Azeris, Kurds and Persians).

Jumping over the fire
Before the start of the festival, people gather brushwood in an open, free exterior space. At sunset, after making one or more bonfires, they jump over the flames, singing sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to, literally meaning “[let] your redness [be] mine, my paleness yours”, or a local equivalent of it. This is considered a purification practice.

Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaharshanbe_Suri

Mehregan (مهرگان), The Celebration of Autumn

Mehregan is a Zoroastrian and Persian festival celebrated to honor the yazata Mithra (Persian: Mehr‎). Mehr is responsible for friendship, affection and love. It is also widely referred to as the Persian Festival of Autumn. In Persian calendar, Mehr is the first month of Autumn. This month starts from September 21st through October 21st.

Some scholars believe that the month of Mehr was the beginning month of the calendar year during the Achaemenian era. The Mehregan feast celebrated the beginning of a new year. Later, Mehregan was especially important for the people of southern Iran who considered it still to be their Norouz.

Mehr was also considered as a symbol of the sun. There again, Mehr was considered to be a God of heroism and warfare. With expansion of Achaemenian Empire, the worship of Mehr was taken to other countries. The feast day of Mehregan has always been honored for many hundreds of years in Iran. Mehr is also the time of harvest.

For this celebration, the participants wear new clothes and set a decorative, colorful table. The sides of the tablecloth are decorated with dry wild marjoram. The holy book Avesta, a mirror and Sormeh Dan (antimony cellar) are placed on the table together with rose water, sweets, flowers, vegetables and fruits, especially pomegranates and apples. A few silver coins and senjed seeds (fruit of the lotus tree) are placed in a dish of pleasant smelling wild marjoram water. Almonds and pistachio are also used.

A burner is also part of the table setting for kondor (frankincense) and espand (rue seeds) to be thrown on the flames.

At lunch time when the ceremony begins, everyone in the family stands in front of the mirror to pray. Sherbet is drunk and then as a good omen, antimony is rubbed around their eyes. Handfuls of wild marjoram, senjed seeds and noghl (sugar plum) are thrown over each others heads while they embrace one another.

The following is a snippet of a poem by Rudaki, the famous Persian poet of the 10th century:

ملكا جشن مهرگان آمد / جشن شاهان و خسروان آمد

Mehregan celebration is upon us, My LORD / A celebration of Emperors and Monarchs