This Thursday: Iran and The Current Middle East Conflict
What / Who:
ISAA is co-sponsoring a very interesting Speech by Mr. Hassan Shariatmadari on Iran and The Current Middle East Conflict

Mr. Hassan Shariatmadari is one the prominent figures of the Iranian pro-democracy opposition and the son of the late Grand Ayotallah Kazem Shariatmadari.
He is currently the Secretary General of Jomhourikhahan Melli Iran and a member of the Executive Board and Political Council of Etehad Jomhourikhan Iran. Both organizations advocate secular and democratic politics based on a republican system of governance and non-violent change.
Mr. Shariatmadari has been an active and influential participant of the Iranian politics during the last three decades. During the immediate period after the
1979 Iranian revolution he played a leading role in the massive but unsuccessful opposition to the theocratic clauses of the current constitution.
Mr. Shariatmadari currently resides in Hamburg, Germany.
When: Thursday, December 07 at 6:00 PM

Where: 2101 Morgan Hall - UC Berkeley Campus (Map)

Cost : FREE

Sponsored By :
Peace and Conflict Studies Program
University Of California, Berkeley
Iranian Student Alliance in America


* This event is open to the public
To View the official flyer click here

The history of HIV/AIDS and Addiction in Iran

The history of HIV/AIDS and Addiction in Iran

What: The Global Health in MECA, formerly the Pars Curative Research Institute, is a nonprofit membership organization that was created in 2000 to identify priority HIV/AIDS problems in Iran .
Despite its strong attachment to religious values, Iran has shown remarkable openness to addressing HIV/AIDS and its relationship with drug use.
As a result of their efforts, much of the stigma associated with drug use and HIV/AIDS is being pushed aside. The program shows the successes and challenges of HIV/AIDS in Iran and the implications for the region.
BBC documentary about part of the project will be screened after the speech.
For further information please visit http://www.ghinmeca.com/

Who: Dr. Kamiar Alaei, MD, MPH
Executive Director of Pars Institute, Iran
Harvard School of Public Health, USA

Dr. Arash Alaei and Dr. Kamiar Alaei had a critical contribution to establish the first counseling and care center for HIV infected cases, Sexually Transmitted Infected cases and injecting drug users in Iran, documented by WHO as A "Best Practice model" in WHO/EMRO. They were co-authors of Iran’s National and International Strategic Plans for the Control of HIV/IDU/TB and key players in putting Iran’s Proposal to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS/TB/Malaria.
When: Monday, Nov. 27th, 2006 6 - 8 p.m.

Where: 2040 VLSB (Map)

Cost : FREE

* This event is open to the public
To View the official flyer click here

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MBA Admissions and GMAT strategy Seminar

What : During this exciting event a Kaplan expert will explore the different admissions steps that students will need to complete to ensure their successful admission into the MBA program of their choice. Some of the topics discussed will be: Personal Statements, Letters of Recommendation, Work Experience, GPA, GMAT, and Applications.
How to develop a realistic timeline will also be discussed so even if you are a Sophomore or Junior you
would really benefit from this event!

When: Tuesday , Nov 28th, 7-8:00 p.m.

Where: 20 Barrows (Map)

Cost : FREE

Cosponsored by : Iranian Student Alliance in America (ISAA) Kaplan Test Prep.

* This event is open to the public
* Seating is Limited so be sure to RSVP by sending an email to isaa.berkeley@gmail.com or by going to http://www.kaptest.com/gmat . if you would like to use the website to register, please follow the following directions :
1. Click on the "Find a Free events" link on the left menu of the site.
2. Choose "GMAT-Business" from the drop down menu, enter your zipcode and click on the GO link.
3. Click on the "View Dates / Locations" link in front of FREE Events.
4. Look for the event that has "UC Berkeley Campus" as it's location , and click on sign-up.
5. Fill in the required information and you are done.

Iranian-American Student Abused By UCLA UCPD w Tazer Gun

[From dailybruin.com]

Download this video

An incident late Tuesday night in which a UCLA student was stunned at least four times with a Taser has left the UCLA community questioning whether the university police officers' use of force was an appropriate response to the situation.

Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a UCLA student, was repeatedly stunned with a Taser and then taken into custody when he did not exit the CLICC Lab in Powell Library in a timely manner. Community Service Officers had asked Tabatabainejad to leave after he failed to produce his BruinCard during a random check at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. UCPD Assistant Chief of Police Jeff Young said the checks are a standard procedure in the library after 11 p.m. "Because of the safety of the students we limit the use after 11 to just students, staff and faculty," Young said. Young said the CSOs on duty in the library at the time went to get UCPD officers when Tabatabainejad did not immediately leave, and UCPD officers resorted to use of the Taser when Tabatabainejad did not do as he was told. A six-minute video showed Tabatabainejad audibly screaming in pain as he was stunned several times with a Taser, each time for three to five seconds. He was told repeatedly to stand up and stop fighting, and was told that if he did not do so he would "get Tased again."

Tabatabainejad was also stunned with the Taser when he was already handcuffed, said Carlos Zaragoza, a third-year English and history student who witnessed the incident. "(He was) no possible danger to any of the police," Zaragoza said. "(He was) getting shocked and Tasered as he was handcuffed." But Young said at the time the police likely had no way of knowing whether the individual was armed or that he was a student. As Tabatabainejad was being dragged through the room by two officers, he repeated in a strained scream, "I'm not fighting you" and "I said I would leave." The officers used the "drive stun" setting in the Taser, which delivers a shock to a specific part of the body with the front of the Taser, Young said.

A Taser delivers volts of low-amperage energy to the body, causing a disruption of the body's electrical energy pulses and locking the muscles, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union. "It's an electrical shock. ... It causes pain," Young said, adding that the drive stun would not likely demobilize a person or cause residual pain after the shock was administered. Young also said a Taser is less forceful than a baton, for example. But according to a study published in the Lancet Medical Journal in 2001, a charge of three to five seconds can result in immobilization for five to 15 minutes, which would mean that Tabatabainejad could have been physically unable to stand when the officers demanded that he do so.

"It is a real mistake to treat a Taser as some benign thing that painlessly brings people under control," said Peter Eliasberg, managing attorney at the ACLU of Southern California. "The Taser can be incredibly violent and result in death," Eliasberg said. According to an ACLU report, 148 people in the United States and Canada have died as a result of the use of Tasers since 1999. During the altercation between Tabatabainejad and the officers, bystanders can be heard in the video repeatedly asking the officers to stop and requesting their names and identification numbers. The video showed one officer responding to a student by threatening that the student would "get Tased too." At this point, the officer was still holding a Taser. Such a threat of the use of force by a law enforcement officer in response to a request for a badge number is an "illegal assault," Eliasberg said. "It is absolutely illegal to threaten anyone who asks for a badge number, that's assault," he said.

Tabatabainejad was released from custody after being given a citation for obstruction/delay of a peace officer in the performance of duty. Neither Tabatabainejad nor his family were giving interviews Wednesday. Police officers said they determined the use of Tasers was necessary when Tabatabainejad did not do as they asked. According to a UCPD press release, Tabatabainejad went limp and refused to exit as the officers attempted to escort him out. The release also stated Tabatabainejad "encouraged library patrons to join his resistance." At this point, the officers "deemed it necessary to use the Taser in a "drive stun' capacity." "He wasn't cooperative; he wouldn't identify himself. He resisted the officers," Young said.

Neither the video footage nor eyewitness accounts of the events confirmed that Tabatabainejad encouraged resistance, and he repeatedly told the officers he was not fighting and would leave. Tabatabainejad was walking with his backpack toward the door when he was approached by two UCPD officers, one of whom grabbed the student's arm. In response, Tabatabainejad yelled at the officers to "get off me." Following this demand, Tabatabainejad was stunned with a Taser. UCPD and the UCLA administration would not comment on the specifics of the incident as it is still under investigation.

In a statement released Wednesday, Interim Chancellor Norman Abrams said investigators were reviewing the situation and the officers' actions. "I can assure you that these reviews will be thorough, vigorous and fair," Abrams said. The incident, which Zaragoza described as an example of "police brutality," left many students disturbed. "I realize when looking at these kind of arrest tapes that they don't always show the full picture. ... But that six minutes that we can watch just seems like it's a ridiculous amount of force for someone being escorted because they forgot their BruinCard," said Ali Ghandour, a fourth-year anthropology student. "It certainly makes you wonder if something as small as forgetting your BruinCard can eventually lead to getting Tased several times in front of the library," he added. Edouard Tchertchian, a third-year mathematics student, said he was concerned that the student was not offered any other means of showing that he was a UCLA student.

5th ISAA Backgammon Tournament - Bond Plays, Do You?

It's a new semester, so once again, ISAA will be holding a backgammon tournament. This semester's tournament will be at noon on Sunday, October 29. Room to be announced.
There is still time to sign up. You can do so by either emailing Hormozd Gahvari at hormozd@EECS.berkeley.EDU or by signing up at the ISAA table on Sproul if you're in Berkeley.

As always, it will be a spirited event with intense competition. To reward the winners, there will be trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
But it will for sure be a fun time for all involved, so we hope you don't miss it!

See you at the tournament!

ISAA's 7th Iranian Music Night

What: Take a break from the stress of life: work, exams, studying,etc., and come and relax to the musical genius of your fellow Iranians.

We encourage all people, students and non-students, who are
interested in performing to contact ISAA's music night coordinator
Pourya Khademi at violin@berkeley.edu so that we can coordinate joint performances. Please get in touch with Pourya soon.

When: Thursday, October 26th @ 7:00PM
Where: Persian Center (2029 Durant Ave., near Shattuck Ave.)
Map to Persian Center

* Refreshments will be served.

Akbar Ganji at UC Berkeley...

Election Results

Results are in!

ISAA Board of Director Elections 2006-2007

The votes have been tallied and the results are in! Ali Assareh and Jazzi Junge will be joining the ISAA's Board of Directors on June 1st for the start of the next term. And, Navid Khadem, Shahrzad Abbassirahbar and Shomays Fallah has been re-elected to the board for another term. A hearty congratulations to each of them!
This year, we will say goodbye to Arash Aramesh and Naghmeh Nikki Harirchi, who have given countless hours of their time to the ISAA over the past year. We thank Arash and Naghmeh for their dedicated service.
Below is the result of the officer appointments, sorted according to the number of votes each candidate received.

1. Navid Khadem---------------President
2. Ali Assareh-------------------Communications Director
3. Shahrzad Abbassirahbar---Finance Director
4. Shomays Fallah--------------Publicity Director
5. Jazzi Junge-------------------Resource Director

The new ISAA Board of Directors will pick maximum of 15 active members to be on 2006-2007 ISAA’s board. We will announce more information on this in our future emails.

Today, ISAA 2006-2007 officer elections

Officer Elections is Today. Help your favorite member get elected to ISAA's office
ISAA will be having its 2006-2007 officer elections Today in room 56 Barrows at 7pm.
We encourage you all to come! It'll only take around 1 hour and we will serve PIZZA and sell our world famous T-shirts and hoodies.
We look forward to seeing you all there!!!
2006-2007 Candidates:
1. Ali Assareh
2.Jazzi Junge
3.Shahrzad Abbassirahbar
4.Shomays Fallah
5.Soraya Gheissari
6.Navid Khadem

ISAA 2006-2007 Elections - May 4

ISAA will be having its 2006-2007 officer elections on May 4, 2006 (Thursday) in room 110 Barrows at 7pm.
We encourage you all to come!
If you are interested in running for any position please email Navid Khadem (ISAA's communications director : navid@berkeley.edu) for further information as to the different positions offered and what each position entails, and make sure to ask about the new positions added for the upcoming year. Please include your name, year, major and the position you are interested in running for, along with a brief statement (300 words maximum) describing your objectives in running for that position.
We encourage those who have been active members to consider running, as being an ISAA officer lets you get involved in the Iranian community and have fun. We will be here to help those in the up coming year so please do not feel intimidated. We look forward to seeing you all there!!!

You are qualified to run if you meet the conditions in ISAA's constitution which can be find here ( http://isaa.berkeley.edu/aboutISAA.htm )

Board members for the upcoming school year will be elected by these elected officers.

The deadline to submit your intention to run is April 30th.

*** Pizza and refreshments will be served.
*** If you are interested in buying the new ISAA shirts ($15) and sweatshirts ($25) we will also be selling those.

We'll send out another reminder next week.

UCB Senate Elections April 25-27
ISAA is endorsing Ali Ansary #51 for Senate for the2006-2007 school year.
We encourage all of you to vote and show your support.
The following is Ali's platform:
I, Ali Ansary, am running for ASUC Senate for the upcoming school year, and with your personal and ISAA collective support, hope to begin the Fall semester as an ASUC Senator advocating for you. As a first generation Afghan-American and, I feel the views and platform upon which I am running coincide with many of the shared values of ISAA and the Iranian community.
To give you a little background on me, I am a junior from Orange County, majoring in Nutritional Science with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies.I would work to foster inter-group relationships among organizations to leverage the support and creative projects that we hold individually, particularly among ISAA, ISCO, MSA, INDUS, PAKSA and other like minded groups. I would also like to pursue tangible projects on campus, including improving recycling and sustainability efforts in university buildings, and increased campus safety efforts by working directly with the UCPD. I ask you for any support you and your organization can offer me, however the most important thing, is ensuring each one of you votes. I would love the opportunity to meet with you personally on sproul over the next two weeks should you have any questions or suggestions for me. I thank you in advance for your support, and look forward to working with you in the coming school year.

** Ali Ansary #51
** Ride the 51 to Success: Vote Ali Ansary for ASUC Senate

Voting Locations and TimesThe ASUC Elections voting period occurs on the following three days:
Tuesday, April 25
Wednesday, April 26
Thursday, April 27

VOTE ONLINE!

Voting online is available during the following times at http://election.asuc.org :
· 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) (Votes MUST be submitted online by 7:00pm)

Voting online is not allowed from the following connections and locations:
· Airbears
· ASUC- and Graduate Assembly-controlled properties: Anthony Hall, Eshleman Hall, and the MLK Student Union OR, VOTE AT POLLING STATIONS!
Voting from polling stations is available at the following times and locations:(Students may vote from polling stations as long as they are IN LINE by the time the station closes)

Campus Polls Open 9:00am to 4:10pm
1. Upper Sproul Plaza
2. Dwinelle Plaza
3. Wurster Hall, West Entrance
4. Evans Hall, East Entrance
5. Plaza/Walkway between Soda and Etcheverry, south side
6. Genetics and Plant Biology Building, South Plaza
7. Lower Campanile Plaza
8. Boalt Hall, Courtyard
9. Haas School of Business, Lower Bank of America Forum
Extended Hour Polls Open 9:00am to 10:00pm
1. Moffitt Undergraduate Library, South Entrance
2. Recreational Sports Facility
Residence Hall Polls
1. Crossroads Dining Facility (Open 4:50pm to 8:30pm)
2. Unit 3 Residence Hall Dining Commons (Open 4:50pm to 9:30pm)
3. Clark Kerr Campus Residence Hall Dining Commons (Open 5:00 to 8:30pm)
4. Foothill Residence Hall Dining Commons (Open 4:50pm to 8:30pm)
5. International House (Open 5:00pm to 8:00pm)

Eligibility
All registered UC Berkeley students, including graduate students, are eligible to vote. Voters may cast only one ballot.

Voters will receive discount coupons for the Cal Student Store and the Gelateria Naia Lounge (Naia coupon available only at the polls).

Seyyed Ebrahim Nabavi : Stand Up Comedy at Cal

ISAA Proudly Presents:


Seyyed Ebrahim Nabavi :
Stand Up Comedy at Cal


Location: 2050 VLSB(Valley Life Science Building) , UC Berkeley

Time: Sunday April 9th at 6pm ( Limited Tickets. First come , first served)

Tickets will be sold at the doors.

Price : 30 dollars
UC Berkeley Students are given half priced tickets.
Must provide
student ID at the door.

here is a map of the campus.

http://www.berkeley.edu/map/

Seyyed Ebrahim Nabavi ( in Persian سید ابراهیم نبوی) is an exiled Iranian satirist and journalist. As of 2005, he is the most widely known and active Iranian satirist, currently living in Belgium. He currently writes in the news website Gooya and the online newspaper Rooz.

Nabavi became famous after he started his daily column sotūn-e panjom (Fifth Column) in the newspaper Jame'eh, which he continued in several newspapers after they were banned one after another. He has also written several books of satire, interviews, prison diaries, and research on the history of Iranian satire. As of July 2005, he also works for the online newspaper Rooz and the BBC News in Persian.

Nabavi was arrested and jailed two times for his political satires, where he wrote sālon-e šomāre-ye šeš (سالن شماره ۶; Corridor No 6), translated to French as Couloir n° 6 : Carnets de prison (ISBN 2742751610).

He is an ethnic Azerbaijani, and his friends call him Davar.

Awards and honors

• Prince Claus Award (2005)

Saale No Mobarak! Happy New Year!

Today, No Ruz is new year's days for millions of people from Afghans and Tajiks to Azeris (Rep. of Azerbaijan) and Iranians. The year is now 1385.


ISAA wishes you all a wonderful, healthy, happy, and successful new year.

March in March

ISAA's 5th Tenet (also see ISAA mission statement):

"V. We are not promoting any specific form of political government in Iran, and we believe the fate of Iran is solely in the hands of the Iranian people. We do, however,promote Iranian involvement in the American political arena."

Thus, March 18th: Global protests (240 planned) against Iraq invasion & potential attack on Iran

ISAA's 4th Backgammon Tournament Results

Earlier today ISAA held it's 4th Backgammon Tournament. It was a competitive affair with 9 contenders who gave it their all. When the dust settled, the top 3 were:

1st place: Hamid Assadi

2nd place: Babak Amirebrahimi

3rd place: Omid Etesami

Thanks to everyone who took part and made the event a great time. Pictures are now available online. There are full-size and small (640x480) versions available.

Enjoy!

Hormozd

ISAA Spring Calendar of Events!

Enjoy another great semester with ISAA as we work actively to serve the campus community. For more information about the upcoming events be sure to check back with the ISAA Blog and to read your weekley ISAA emails.

1. First ISAA Meeting of the Spring Semester (1.30)
2. Student Lecture: "Rumi's Family, Status of His Father & Migration" (1.31)
3. Documentary Screening: "The CIA and Coup of 1953 in Iran" (2.06)
4. Student Lecture: "What is Mathnavi & Brief Mention of Rumi's Works" (2.07)
5. ABC Documentary: "Evolution of Revolution: Live From Tehran" (2.13)
6. Documentary Screening: "Mystical Iran" (2.14)
7. Student Lecture: "Shams-e-Tabriz & Life Before Meeting Rumi" (2.21)
8. 4th Annual ISAA Backgammon Tournament (2.25)
9. BBC Documentary: "Iran: A Revolution Betrayed" (2.27)
10. Student Lecture: "Sugar Market & Hallaj Mansour" (2.28)
11. Student Lecture: "Iran-Iraq War: Causes, Repercussions & Outcomes" (3.06)
12. Student Lecture: "The 'Meeting' Continued" (3.07)
13. 7th ISAA Iranian Music Night (3.09)
14. Student Lecture: "Structure of the Islamic Republic & Reform Movement" (3.13)
15. Student Lecture: "The Beginning of Mathnavi & 'Attar and 'Sanaie'" (3.14)
16. Guest Lecture: Dr. Dariush Zahedi. Topic: "TBA" (3.20)
17. Student Lecture: "Pluralism & the story of 'Moses and the Shepard'" (3.21)
18. Student Lecture: "Women in Iran" & Doc: "Iran Behind Closed Cha-Dors" (4.03)
19. Student Lecture: "Different Kinds of Faith" (4.04)
20. Student Lecture: “Social Epidemics” (4.10)
21. Student Lecture: "Rumi and Ghazali" (4.11)
22. 13th ISAA-ISCO Joint Poetry Night (4.13)
23. Iranian Movie Night: “Hidden Half" (4.17)
24. Student Lecture: "Rumi's Pain and Suffering After Shams's Departure" (4.18)
25. Lecture: "Iran's Nuclear Standoff with the West" (4.24)
26. Student Lecture: "Rumi, Islamic Reformation & Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush" (4.25)
27. 6th Graduate Mini Lecture Series (5.01)
28. Student Lecture: "'Accidental' and 'Essential'" (5.02)
29. Student Lecture: "Where is Iran Headed Now?" (5.08)
30. Final ISAA Meeting of the Spring Semester (5.08)

Greetings!

ISAA hopes you are all enjoying your winter break and had a nice and warm holiday season. We look forward to seeing you back on campus for the Spring semester!

For a look back at the fall semester, click on the link to look at ISAA's online album of event pictures.

Congratulations

Congratulations on finishing another semester at Cal. Enjoy your winter break with your families and cherish your time off. Before you know it, the spring semester will be here soon and ISAA will be at it again! Happy Holidays!

Student Lecture: "Where is Iran Headed Now?" (12.05)

What: On June of 2005, the 49-year-old former Tehran mayor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won Iran's ninth presidential election -a nd its first run-off ever - by receiving 62% of the total ballots cast. Ahmadinejad's campaign stressed the values of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, trouncing candidates whose glossy campaigns focusedon restoring ties with the West. The new president has vowed to uplift the poor and "put the revolution back on track." How did Ahmadinejad rise to prominence and what are the implicationsof his election? Where is Iran headed in the next few years?

When: Monday, Dec. 5th @ 6:00PM

Location: 110 Barrows
Campus Map

Student Lecture: "Accidental' and 'Essential" (11.29)

What: We will continue our discussion on “accidentals” and “essentials”. How do we know a law is an accidental or an essential? Where are the confusions? Where is the red line?

When: Tuesday, Nov. 29th @ 6:00PM
Location: 123 Wheeler
Campus Map

Student Lecture: "Rumi's Pain and Suffering After Shams's Departure" (11.15)

What: We will be discussing "The Pain": Rumi’s pain and suffering after Shams’ departure. Why did Shams leave Ghoonieh and what happened to Rumi and the role of Rumi’s son in Shams’ departure.

When: Tuesday, Nov. 15th @ 6:00PM

Location: 123 Wheeler Hall

Campus Map

Join the ISAA Email List

To join the ISAA email list, click here and sign in in the registration box. Thereafter, you will get one email per week with upcoming ISAA events and announcements included.

Iranian Movie Night: "Crimson Gold" (11.14)

What: We will be screening the awarding winning movie "Crimson Gold." The following is a synopsis of this movie: Award-winning filmmaker Jafar Panahi's (The White Balloon,The Circle) latest triumph is an intimate and absorbing drama about the ways in which the hypocrisies and slights of daily life can push otherwise reasonable people over the edge. Based on true events and written by acclaimed director Abbas Kiarostami (A Taste of Cherry), CRIMSON GOLD is the story of Hussein, a humble pizza deliveryman who feels continually humiliated by the injustices he sees all around him. When his friend Ali finds a receipt for a stranger's necklace purchase, Hussein is stunned by its exceptionally high cost...Winner of the Jury Award at the Cannes Film Festival and Winner of Best Film at the Chicago Film Festival, this is a movie not to be missed.

When: Monday, Nov. 11th @ 6:00PM

Location: 110 Barrows

Campus Map

ISAA Lecture: Dr. Sadraldin Elaahi (11.13)

What: Dr. Sadraldin Elaah will give a lecture on the following topic: "Sa'adi: hame gooyand vali gofteye Sa'adi degar ast." The talk is free and will be held in Persian.

When: Sunday, Nov. 13th @ 6:00 PM

Location: 110 Barrows
Campus Map

Dr. Dariush Zahedi: "Presidential Election & Prospects for Democracy In Iran " (11.07)

What: UC Berkeley Political Science Professor, Dr. Dariush Zahedi will deliver a lecture on the following topic: "Presidential Election & Prospectsfor Democracy In Iran." He will be discussing the recent Presidential election of Dr. Ahmadinejad and what that means for Iran's future and the prospects for democracy.

When: Monday, Nov. 7th @ 6:00PM

Location: 110 Barrows

Campus Map

New Pictures Up!

4 new sets of pictures are up from the following events:

- The Iran De-cal

- Calapalooza

- 2nd Cuisine Night

- Mahvash Sheikhol-Eslami's Documentary Screening

They are items 6-9 in the photo album. Click here to see the album.

6th Open Forum: "Integration in America: Marriage, Education & Career" (10.27)

What: ISAA's 6th Open Forum will be held allowing everyone to come and express themselves freely and to hear different perspectives on the main topic of "Integration in America: Marriage, Education & Career."Anything goes, and you are free to address issues outside of the determined theme. It should be a therapeutic event.

When: Thursday, Oct. 27th @ 7:00PM
Location: 123 Wheeler
Campus Map
*Refreshments will be served

Guest Lecture: Journalist Omid Memarian: "Media In Iran" (10.24)

What: Journalist Omid Memarian will give a speech regarding the media in Iran. Omid Memarian is a reformist journalist and social activist inIran. He contributed regularly to pro-reform papers such a Nowrooz, Yas-e-now, Vaghaye Ettefaghieh and Mosharekat, all of which were banned and shut down by Tehran's hardline judiciary. He is the editor-in-chief of Volunteer Actors quarterly, published to support democracy in Iran. Omid also created his own weblog. During an October 2004 government crackdown to silence Internet journalists and bloggers, he was arrested, held in solitary confinement and tortured. After his release, Omid risked his life by talking about his detention. In response, Human Rights Watch awarded him the Hellman/Hammett Award or his courage in the face of political persecution. He is a visiting scholar at the Graduate School of Journalism this year.

When: Monday, Oct. 24th @ 6:00PM
Location: 110 Barrows
Campus Map

Pictures are UP!!!

Pictures are up and we will do our best to upload the pictures of each event in a timely manner. If you have any pictures from the ISAA events you want posted, please email us at isaa@isaa.berkeley.edu And don't forget, ISAA's 2nd annual Iranian Cuisine Night is this Thursday (the announcement with the details is below).

6th Music Night

11th Poetry Night

Sufism De-cal

1st Meeting

Tabling

2nd Annual Iranian Cuisine & Social Night (10.21)

What: Are you a student who misses home cooked Iranian food? Do you want to unwind one last time before you hit the books for upcoming midterms? Then this should definitely interest you. Following the success and warm reception at the first cuisine night, ISAA will beholding its second annual Iranian Cuisine Social Night to celebrate the art of Iranian cooking. Various Iranian appetizers and dishes will beserved in a warm atmosphere. There will also be music afterwards to liven the setting. You are more than welcome, we in fact encourage you, to bring any Persian dish or dessert that you like. There will be a tasting contest and prizes will be presented to the winner. Please visit the following link and indicate if you will be attending this event so that we may have a better idea of the size of the group thatwe will be expecting.

When: Friday, Oct. 21st @ 7:00PM
Location: Persian Center (2029 Durant Ave., near Shattuck Ave.)
Map to Persian Center

ISAA Featured in OCPC Magazine!

UC Berkeley ISAA covered in a magazine all the way down in southern California? YES! ISAA was featured in the largest Iranian publication in southern California, OCPC Magazine. Click here to read the article and see the pictures.

ISAA's 6th Iranian Music Night

What: Take a break from the stress of life: work, exams, studying, etc., and come and relax to the musical genius of your fellow Iranians. We encourage all people, students and non-students, who are interested in performing to contact Pourya at violin@berkeley.edu so that we can coordinate joint performances.

When: Thursday, Oct. 13th @ 7:00 PM

Where: Persian Center (2029 Durant Ave., near Shattuck Ave.)

Map to Persian Center

* Refreshments will be served.

Student Lecture: "Sugar Market & Hallaj Mansour"

What: We will be discussing the “Sugar Market” and the Story of “Hallaj Mansour”. Who was Hallaj, what was his importance and why was he killed? Why did the Prophet Mohammad say “I did not recognize God the way he deserved it and I did not worship him the way he needs to be worshiped” and Hallaj said “Ana Alhaq” or “ I am God”.

When: Tuesday, Sept. 27th @ 6:00PM

Location: 123 Wheeler

Campus

Documentary Screening on the Iranian Revolution

ABC Documentary: "Evolution of Revolution: Live from Tehran"

What: We will be screening an ABC's documentary on the Iranian Revolution titled: "Evolution of Revolution: Live from Tehran." The documentary discusses in detail the hostage crisis and features interviews with the hostages and the hostage takers. A discussion will follow after the screening.

When: Monday, Sept. 26th @ 6:00PM
Location: 110 Barrows
Campus Map

11th Poetry Night

ISAA & ISCO will be holding their 11th overall but first jointPersian/English poetry night of the semester. All original and non-original works in English or Persian are welcome. Come and practice the power of poetry or simply bear witness to its harmony.

When: Thursday, Sept. 22nd @ 7:00PM

Location: Persian Center (2029 Durant Ave., near Shattuck Ave.)

Map to Persian Center

* Refreshments will be served

ISAA Documentary Screening: "Mystical Iran" (9.13)

What: ISAA will be screening the documentary "Mystical Iran."

Documentarian Aryana Farshad seeks out the spiritual rituals that physically connect her with sacred sites in Iran, her homeland, which she hasn't visited in 25 years. Farshad documents prayer at the Great Mosque of Qum and "whirling"dervishes in Kurdistan. Her search leads her to comment on the use of religion as a buffer between the commercial tug of Western culture and the dogmatic dictates of traditional Muslim society.

When: Tuesday, Sept. 13th @ 6:00PM

Location: 123 Wheeler

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ISAA Teaches 2 De-cals!

[These classes are taught on behalf of ISAA to fulfill part of ISAA's mission statement, which intends to spread awareness on Iran. If you do not enroll, you are still welcome to attend class sessions as each will be announced as an ISAA event through this listserve.]

Decal #1
ABCs of Iran: 26 Years of Revolution
PS 98/198, 2 Units, P/NP
Time: Monday 6-8
Room: 110 Barrows

Course Description: An introduction to contemporary Iranian politics, this course will examine Iran's political history for the last 25years, with reflection on the coup d'etat of Prime Minister Mossadeq,the Pahlavi regime, the Iranian Revolution, the Iran-Iraq War, and more. Special emphasis will be paid to the revolution and where it has taken Iran until now. Documentaries, films, guest lectures, anddiscussions will be integral to the class. This is the fourth semester that this course is being offered.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Gregor
Course Coordinators:

Naghmeh Harirchi (harirchi@berkeley.edu),

Ali Assareh (assareh@berkeley.edu),

Hoda Fahimi (shivaf@aol.com)

Enrollment Info: Class begins on Monday September 12, 2004, the third week of semester. To get the CCN please come to the first class session.
Decal website

Decal #2
Rumi, Sufism & Islam
IAS 98/198, 2 Units, P/NP
Time: Tue 6:00-7:30
Room: 123 Wheeler

Course Description: Molana Jalaluddin Mohammd Rumi is one of the most famous Persian poets in the world. In this class we will study his life andthe environment that surrounded him. We will also examine Rumi’s worksand his teachings especially the book of Mathnawi.
Course Coordinator:

Arash Aramesh (arasharamesh@berkeley.edu)

Enrollment Info: Class has already begun. To add the class please contact the course coordinator.
Decal website

Fall ISAA Calendar of Events and 1st Meeting!

Welcome back to school!!! ISAA is thrilled to hit the road again with you all! Below is a listing of all the events planned for the semester. If you'd like to know the details of each event and/or to be notified of them, please join the ISAA email list though the front page of the ISAA site. And remember, the first ISAA meeting to kick of the semester is Wednesday, August 31st at 7:00pm at 110 Barrows Hall!

1. Student Lecture: "Rumi's Family, Status of His father & Migration" (8.30)
2. First ISAA Meeting of the Fall Semester (8.31)
3. Student Lecture: "What is Mathnavi & Brief Mention of Rumi's Works" (9.06)
4. Documentary Screening: "Mystical Iran" (9.13)
5. Documentary Screening: "The CIA and Coup of 1953 in Iran" (9.19)
6. Student Lecture: "Shams-e-Tabriz & Life Before Meeting Rumi" (9.20)
7. 11th ISAA-ISCO Joint Poetry Night (9.22)
8. Screening of Documentaries by Iranian Director Moslem Mansouri (9.24)
9. ABC Documentary: "Evolution of Revolution: Live from Tehran" (9.26)
10. Student Lecture: "Sugar Market & Hallaj Mansour" (9.27)
11. BBC Documentary: "Iran: A Revolution Betrayed" (10.03)
12. Student Lecture: "The 'Meeting' Continued" (10.04)
13. Student Lecture: "Iran-Iraq War: Causes, Repercussions & Outcomes" (10.10)
14. Student Lecture: "The Beginning of Mathnavi & 'Attar and 'Sanaie'" (10.11)
15. 6th ISAA Iranian Music Night (10.13)
16. 4th Annual ISAA Backgammon Tournament (10.16)
17. Student Lecture: "Structure of the Islamic Republic & Reform Movement" (10.17)
18. Student Lecture: "Iran: Forefront of Religious Reformation Movement" (10.24)
19. Student Lecture: "Pluralism & the story of 'Moses and the Shepard'" (10.25)
20. 6th Open Forum - Theme: "TBA" (10.27)
21. Guest Lecture: Dr. Dariush Zahedi. Topic: "TBA" (10.31)
22. Student Lecture: "Different Kinds of Faith" (11.01)
23. 12th ISAA Joint Poetry Night (11.03)
24. Student Lecture: "Women in Iran" & Doc: "Iran Behind Closed Cha-Dors" (11.07)
25. Student Lecture: "Rumi and Ghazali" (11.08)
26. Iranian Movie Night: "Crimson Gold" (11.14)
27. Student Lecture: "Rumi's Pain and Suffering After Shams's Departure" (11.15)
28. Lecture: "Iran's Nuclear Standoff with the West" (11.21)
29. Student Lecture: "Rumi, Islamic Reformation & Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush" (11.22)
30. Student Lecture: "Social Epidemics in Iran" & 5th Graduate Mini Lecture Series (11.28)
31. Student Lecture: "'Accidental' and 'Essential'" (11.29)
32. Student Lecture: "Where is Iran Headed Now?" (12.05)
33. Final ISAA Meeting of the Fall Semester (12.05)

** All dates and locations are subject to change, please keep yourself posted by checking your ISAA emails consistently as we will update you on any changes. All students and members of the community are welcome to attend our events.

Have a Great Summer!

Now that finals are over, ISAA would like to wish you all a fun and well-deserved summer break. Remember to be safe and to check your weekly ISAA emails. See you in the fall!

ISAA Site Counts 60,000th Hit!

Another milestone has been reached, the ISAA site, after only 2 years of operation, has counted its 60,000th hit... quite an accomplishment by student group standards! Thank you to all those webmasters that have linked the ISAA site onto their sites and for all the viewers who frequent the site.

ISAA Directors Iranians of the Day!

ISAA Board Member Aidin Fathalizadeh recently and successfully nominated the ISAA Directors as Iranians of the Day on Iranian.com! Congratulations ISAA team on a great year!

Good Luck on Your Finals!

ISAA would like to wish you all the best of luck on all your final examinations and final papers. Hang in there as the much need and deserved summer break is near. And to the graduating class, congratulations and we bid you farewell!

ISAA Receives 3rd Award!

It is a great honor for us to announce that ISAA has won its 3rd award, 2nd from UC Berkeley's Office of Student Life (the other was from Payvand Cultural Center). On Thursday, May 5, ISAA was honored in the area of "Campus Presence" with a highest excellency award, the same category won by ISAA last year. This is quite an accomplishment given that there are nearly 500 student groups on campus and ISAA, according to the award and the Office of Student Life, had the strongest presence and represented!

Newly Launched ISAA Blog!

The offical ISAA site will continue to be a database for information pertaining to ISAA and event pictures will continue to be posted on the site, but from now on, all ISAA announcements and events will be posted on the ISAA listserve as well as this newly launched ISAA blog.