21.12.2023, Thursday 20:00 Uhr
Yalda Night
Venue:
- Raum 23 (Living Room), HFBK Hamburg, Lerchenfeld 2, 22081 Hamburg
Web:
- mehr Infos
An ancient festival celebrated in Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Tajikistan and other parts of the world on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. In Yalda night it is customary to take refuge from the darkness and remain indoors with loved ones, and to welcome the new light by staying up as long as possible. It is believed that, with the sun’s triumphant rise, our days will shine brighter and longer with hope and good will. On this night, friends and family gather together to eat, drink, celebrate and read poetry (especially by Hafez) until well after midnight. This particular way of staying awake together until dawn is called “holding the night alive” (a literal translation for Shab Zendeh Dāri شب زنده داری ) in Persian language.