Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute is delighted to announce Spring 2014 courses in Persian language and culture offered by the Persian Language, Culture, and Linguistics Program in the College of Languages, Linguistics and Literature of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. These include “Intensive Beginning Modern Language”, “Beginning Modern Persian II” and “Persian Literature in Translation”. “Beginning Modern Persian I” and “Introduction to Persian Art, Culture, History and Literature” were offered in Fall 2013. All courses are taught by Dr. Ladan Hamedani, Roshan Institute Instructor in Persian Language and Culture.

Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute is delighted to announce fellowship awards for outstanding students studying Persian language, linguistics and culture at UH Manoa. Two Roshan Institute Fellowships in Persian Linguistics, Language Acquisition and Applied Linguistics will be awarded to qualified students who have been admitted to the College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literature for doctoral study in Linguistics or Second Language Studies starting in 2014-2015. Several Roshan Institute Fellowships for Persian Language and Culture are also available for excellent graduate students currently enrolled in Persian language and culture courses.

We would like to congratulate Roshan Institute Chair in Persian Studies, Fatemeh Keshavarz, who was named December’s “Poet of the Month” by Grace Cavalieri. Dr. Keshavarz was interviewed by poet and playwright Grace Cavalieri, where she spoke candidly about her early introduction into poetry and Classical Persian literature, UMD’s Persian Studies program and read some of her own poetry.

Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute would like to congratulate Dr. Talinn Grigor on her forthcoming book entitled Contemporary Iranian Art: From the Street to the Studio (London, Reaktion Books) and is delighted to support its publication through a grant to Brandeis University. This book is the first single-author, art historical study on contemporary Iranian art and visual culture since the 1979 revolution and explores the multiple aspects of artistic production. Dr. Grigor is a former Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute Fellow and currently Associate Professor of Art History at Brandeis, where she teaches art and architecture.

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Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute is delighted to announce a grant to Dr. Hossein Omoumi and Documentary Educational Resources, Inc. for the production of “Classical Persian Music. Hossein Omoumi from Isfahan to Irvine” and related outreach efforts. Dr. Omoumi is an internationally recognized musician specializing in the ney and an accomplished vocalist, and currently holds the Maseeh Professorship in Persian Performing Arts at UC Irvine. His contributions to the teaching, understanding and enjoyment of classical Persian music are numerous and invaluable. The documentary, together with the educational curriculum developed by Dr. Omoumi, will enhance the appreciation and awareness of Persian culture, music and poetry by students, musicians, and the general public.

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