By Syma Sayyah, Tehran

Last Friday, for an official function, I had to go to the Artists Forum (Khaneh Honarmandan) in Iranshahr Street in the middle of Tehran.  It was a lovely spring day full of sunshine and a nice gentle breeze to enlighten one's heart.  But what made me even more pleased that afternoon was that the Artists Forum, which is usually closed on Fridays, was full of life, activities and people from all sorts and backgrounds, men, women, old, young. It simply was great.  For the first time in a very long while I felt that the place was being used to its fullest for the people.

In front of the main entrance there were open theater performances celebrating the end of theater week - there were so many people gathered there and as I went inside there was a dear old artist who was playing his violin for the audience.

On the west side of the Artists Forum park there were many small stands for traders, many of whom were women starting or continuing their path to the true freedom of economic independence.

On the ground floor in the Momayez gallery there was an exhibition of photographs titled beh shart-e chagou or 'try before you buy'; an expression usually used when buying fruit, especially watermelons.

On the other side was a poster exhibition.  On the first floor and in the amphitheater the tenth anniversary of Iran's Graphic Artists Association was being celebrated along with many of the most well known names in the field including Mr Ebrahim Haghighi, the famous and internationally known artist Mr Ehsaie and Mr Shiva.

Mr Ehsaie

Many thanks and acknowledgments were made during the 3 hour ceremony and many winners as well as those who had helped the association during the years received prizes and certificates.  I think all those who made this day so full of positive activity should be truly proud of a great job well done.

As I left to go home to make sure all was well there, I saw a group of young male dancers dressed in the old Iranian traditional zourkhaneh (house of strength) attire performing a most interesting modern ballet capturing the spirit of zoukhaneh  Wow! Truly jaye shoma khali bood (really wished you were here!!)

I have a few photos of that day to share with you.