LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Farhang Foundation made history on October 20, 2014 by announcing major financial support of a Persian Studies Minor Program, the first of its kind, at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). The program will be available to undergraduate students for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Farhang Foundation has pledged a gift in support of the development of a minor in Persian Studies within the School of Humanities at UCI, which will consist of courses already offered at UCI as well as new Persian Studies courses to be developed. The funds will also support the hiring of a lecturer to teach these courses.
"The School of Humanities is proud to work with Farhang Foundation in order to enhance the field of Persian studies, supporting UCI's aspirations both to deliver a first-class and truly global curriculum and to serve important constituents of our local Orange County community. Persian civilization is one of the oldest and most influential world cultures, still as vibrant today than it was three millennia ago, and we are very pleased indeed to make its achievements and heritage available for our students to study here at Irvine," said Georges Van Den Abbeele, Dean, School of Humanities at UC Irvine.
"This is a wonderful investment in UCI Humanities and the Jordan Center for Persian Studies," notes Dr. Fariborz Maseeh, the benefactor for the Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture. "Aside from its financial investment today and in the past, Farhang Foundation is the ideal partner to engage the Persian community with the Jordan Center on a local and global scale. This is what the Jordan Center needs the most."
"Farhang Foundation is both honored and delighted to have played an integral role in helping to develop a Persian Studies Minor Program at UC Irvine. We are privileged to be in a position where we can act as custodians of our ancient and proud Persian heritage. And in this program, we have found a meaningful and enduring way of perpetuating it through students who will shape the fabric of our world for years to come," said Ali Razi, Chairman of Farhang Foundation.
Overseen by Farhang's Orange County Council and supported by a generous community of donors, this historic agreement with UCI marks a significant milestone in the longstanding partnership between Farhang Foundation and the University. In the past, Farhang Foundation has collaborated with UCI's Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture in support of various lectures and events, including the 2012 Shahnameh Festival.
"For years, Farhang Foundation has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with UC Irvine," said Assad Kazeminy, Chair of Farhang's Orange County Council. "Our mutual passion for sharing the culture and history of Iran with the public has culminated in this groundbreaking endeavor. Through this program, UCI will be giving its students the opportunity to gain proficiency in Persian studies, to be better prepared for the global job market, and to further their understanding of a misunderstood region."
This is the second major Persian/Iranian Studies initiative that Farhang Foundation has spearheaded. In 2010, Farhang Foundation launched a first-ever Iranian Studies Initiative at the University of Southern California, resulting in a thriving Iranian Studies minor program there.
For more information on Farhang Foundation's Iranian Studies efforts and other programs, visit Farhang.org.
