© Persian Center 2005 all rights reserved

The Mission

Vision:

The Persian Center will nurture the best of the Persian culture and heritage where it can be shared with all individuals interested in Persian culture, and through which the quality of life for the community can be enhanced.

Mission:

It is the mission of the Persian Center to create an environment to conduct various social, cultural, educational and recreational activities designed to strengthen the sense of integrity of all Iranians and people of Iranian descent, to engage individuals with an interest in or relation to the Persian community and culture. The Persian Center encourages and facilitates individual and institutional initiatives that contribute to the advancement of the Persian community.

Persian Center Accomplishments:

Facts:

  • Incorporated in March 1992 in California
  • Received 501C3 Status in September 1992
Legal Counsel: Silk, Adler, and Colvin
CPA: Ineich & Company
Fundraising Advisor: Hank Russo
  • Sold over $ 1.5 Million in Scrips (Lucky & Safeway)
  • Offices in Santa Clara, CA and Berkeley, CA
  • In process of purchasing Victorian Building in Berkeley, CA
  • Over 30 Friends, Builders, Founders, and Benefactors
  • Provided organizational and financial support for formation of Senior Citizen Group, "Kanooneh Pedaran va Madaran", in 1997
  • Conducted over 30 "Neighborhood Meetings" to promote the Persian Center concept
  • Raised over $150,000
  • Over 2000 constituents and 150 volunteers

Events:

  • Norouz Celebration 1993-1996
  • "Live" Norouz Celebration 1997 & 1998
  • Yalda 1996 & 1997
  • Persian Language Classes since 1996
  • Persian Bookreading Sessions at various libraries in the Bay Area since 1998
  • Shahnameh Seminars Series, Mr. Saeed Ghaemmaghami, Summer 1998 (instigated many Shahnameh readings in the Bay Area)
  • Sponsored Shahnameh Event with Persian Students Association, Stanford University, November 1999
  • U.N. 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights-Persian Center presented "Cyrus Cylinder" in collaboration with UN Resource Center, Presidio in SF, and United Nations Association of UN, Silicon Valley Chapter, April 1998
  • Sponsored Asian Film Festival, Palo Alto 1996 & San Francisco 1998
  • Sponsored Society of Iranian Professionals, 15th Anniversary Game Night Extravaganza, October 1997
  • Sponsored Iranian Students Cultural Organization's (UC Berkeley) "Eid Norouz Event", March 1999
  • Sponsored The Iranian Federated Women's Club, Iranian-American Scholarship Fundraising Event, February 1998
  • Co-sponsored "How to get into Stanford" with Persian Students Association(PSA), Stanford University, October 1996
  • Co-sponsored televised Iran-U.S. World Cup Event, with PSA, Stanford University, June 1998
  • Co-sponsored Avaz Dance Program with PSA, Stanford University, April 1999

Fundraising Events:

  • Walkathon: October 17, 1993
  • Dinner Event: October 7, 1994
  • Benefit Program: September 28, 1996
  • Summer 1999 Fundraising Gala: June 19, 1999
  • Open Houses at our Berkeley Site: Fall 1999

Persian Center Status:

Persian Center is a non profit charitable organization under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Center was incorporated on March 10, 1992. Persian Center Bylaws was certified by the full Board on June 29, 1992. The Center obtained its charitable status on October 19, 1992 from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Persian Center obtained its tax exempt status from the California Franchise Tax Board on December 10, 1992.

All donations to Persian Center are tax deductible per the US laws regarding non-profit organizations.