The social development and economic flourishing of a society depends on its capability of planning and the level of success in implementing those plans. Since today’s children will be tomorrow’s planners and decision makers, it is our duty to educate a capable young generation in whose hands lay the prosperity of our future society.
To this end, a community of highly motivated volunteers established the “Asemaan Group” to conceptualize and institute new methods to provide Iranian children with some of the most decisive but unfortunately less-emphasized skills such as systems thinking, team work and social communications, through edutainment. “Asemaan”, presently a research center in Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, is involved in the project of “bringing systems thinking to Iranian schools through games and stories”.
This lecture is intended to introduce Asemaan, its vision and so-far achievements as well as to discuss possible ways of supporting and collaborating with Asemaan Group.

For more information click here.

PAAIA has built significant momentum for its signature event “Passing the Torch of Success”. The event is coming to the Tri-State New York area on Sunday April 25, 2010 at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
Rudi Bakhtiar and Maz Jobrani are co-hosting this both educational and inspirational event, featuring:
Top Wall Street executive, Sharmin Mossavar-Rahmani, discussing her path to becoming Chief Investment Officer of Goldman, Sachs & Co.'s Private Wealth Management Division
Top NASA scientist, Dr. Firouz Naderi, sharing his life journey from Shiraz to Mars;
Roya Hakakian, focusing on her journey to America, the “Land of Yes”;
Nuclear physicist turned finance guru, Dr. Hamid Biglari, Chairman of Citicorp, sharing lessons from his vertical climb of the corporate ladder;
Mohsen Moazami, member of Cisco executive staff and the strategic leadership team overseeing Cisco's entire operations across Emerging Markets discussing his life journey from Tehran to the Silicon Valley; and
Award winning actress, writer and producer, Mary Apick, sharing career confidences in advance of her performance in the critically acclaimed play “Beneath the Veil” playing at Lincoln Center.

Other Iranian-American organization partnered with 2010 Census:


Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans PAAIA

The National Iranian American Council NIAC

Iranian Studies Group at MIT invites you to take part in our second research survey, focusing on Iranian skilled individuals migration, the so called "brain drain" phenomenon.

In 2004, we published a report based on our analysis of US census data on the socio-economic status of Iranian-Americans. Following that study, we conducted an opinion survey to learn more about the characteristics of Iranians in the U.S., the results of which are reported in multiple publications available at our website: http://isgmit.org/.


Now, we invite you to contribute to global Iranian community by taking part in this new survey. It studies what factors affect return or non-return of Iranian skilled individuals who have migrated from Iran.

Please fill out this survey if you are:

a) a student of Iranian descent studying abroad at the undergraduate and graduate levels and you have completed at least your high school degree in Iran.

or

b) an Iranian descendant holding an academic degree, employed in a country outside Iran and have completed at least your high school degree in Iran.

Please follow the link below and fill out the survey. It is anonymous, takes less than 15 minutes, and is a valuable source of information for improving the understanding about our community:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9kaTdD_2fw7tquSk_2fH6OW8vg_3d_3d

Please help us by spreading the word among your friends and family members outside of Iran.

Iranian Studies Group at MIT, 2007-2008 general operating expenses: PARSA CF has awarded $5,000 to the group to promote Iranian civil society by conducting research on issues related to Iranian native and diaspora societies.


PARSA CF is the first Persian community foundation in the U.S. and the leading Persian philanthropic institution practicing strategic philanthropy and promoting social entrepreneurship around the globe.


Managing the largest independent endowment fund dedicated to Persian philanthropy, PARSA CF provides tax-advantaged vehicles to donors and makes grants to nonprofit organizations. Its foci include preservation and advancement of Persian arts and culture, development of leaders through fellowships and awards, and encouragement of civic engagement through nonprofit capacity building and voter registration.


PARSA CF provides opportunities for collaborative giving, philanthropic education and purposeful networking. The organization is a nonpartisan, nonreligious, nonprofit registered as a 501(c) (3) entity in the United States. PARSA Community Foundation does not make grants in Iran.


For a list of other grantees, please click here.