The Norooz Gala 2025

For many centuries, Iranians have marked the end of winter as the beginning of a New Year. Their celebration of this occasion, known as Norooz—literally “New Day”, in English—has served to renew the bonds that unite the families and communities that make up the Iranian Nation.

The Norooz Gala is the premier celebration of the Iranian New Year and Iranian heritage, arts, and culture. The evening included multiple uplifting and inspiring Iranian musical performances, both classical and contemporary, and ample time for mingling and celebrating Norooz with friends, new and old.

Our fourth annual Gala was hosted in California for the first time. As part of the program, we paid a special tribute to and honored prominent activists inside Iran and shared the stories of their bravery, and we sought the renewal of support for the frontline work NUFDI is doing to engage and mobilize the Iranian-American community.

It was an inspiring and uplifting evening in which we renewed our bonds of unity and our commitment to action, to bring about the end of Iran's long winter and the dawn of its rebirth.

The Gala featured emcee Shally Zomorodi along with a musical performance by Rana Mansour.

Saturday, March 8, 2025 · California

Norooz 2025 Host Committee

Katy Afshani · Shohreh Aghdashloo · Dr. Arash Akmal · Katy Amir-Younesi · Lisa Daftari · Simone Derayeh · Susan Eshaghian · Elenor Gabay · Fariba Jahanbani · Taraneh Khajenouri · Parmis Khatibi · Shokoufeh Khozein · Haleh Kohan · Maryam Ovissi · HIH Noor Pahlavi · Arezo Rashidian · Mark Rezvani · Hamid Saeidi · Shally Zomorodi