Art & Culture

Six unique statues standing for six leading figures in Persian heritage and culture were unveiled at HIT - Holon Institute of Technology, where they are displayed.

From now on, the Israeli audience will be able to be exposed to the characters of Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi, Omar Khayyam, Jalal al-Din Rumi, Ibn Sina, Hafez and Cyrus the Great

Six statues standing for figures of leading personalities in the Persian heritage in the worlds of poetry, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics and medicine were unveiled.

in a unique ceremony held recently at HIT- Holon Institute of Technology. 

The ceremony was held in the presence of the donors: Mr. Manochehr  and Mrs. Mahnaz Nazarian, and Mr. Amir and Mrs. Parvin Esmailzade, who came especially to the ceremony from the USA, Miki Zohar - Minister of Culture, Mrs. Gila Gamaliel Minister of Intelligence, Pini Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Trustees - HIT, Prof. Eduard Yaakovov - President of HIT, Shmuel Goldberg, CEO of HIT, Mrs. Sivan Shahab - Chairman of the association 'Iranian Cultural Center’ and many public figures.

For Sivan Shahab, the chairman of the association 'Iranian Cultural Center’, which works to promote the magnificent Persian culture and heritage in Israel, it was important to place these statues in the framework of an important academic institution that is connected in its values to the worlds represented by the various figures, including: Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi, the Persian national poet, Omar Khayyam, a Persian philosopher, mathematician and poet, Jalal al-Din Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, Ibn Sina, a Persian physician, philosopher and scientist, Hafez a 14th century Persian poet and Cyrus the Great.

Sivan Shahab: “our association, the ‘Iranian Cultural Center’ sees the accessibility of statues of figures of key figures in the glorious Persian heritage to the general public in Israel as an important step in contributing to creating awareness around Persia as a powerhouse of culture and knowledge on various levels, a fact that may have been forgotten in recent years. Hafez, Ibn Sina, Omar Khayyam and their friends are synonymous with poetry, medicine, science and philosophy and I am grateful to HIT for providing wonderful and suitable accommodation for these characters."

Prof. Eduard Yakubov - President of HIT: "As an academic institution, we believe that the promotion of science and technology is the engine for the establishment and strength of the country, and for the improvement of the quality of life of its citizens. A major part of HIT's activity is the promotion of the professions of technology, engineering and the exact sciences. The choice to place the statues of giants of Spirit. 

and science that built the pillars of modern science is only natural, and it conveys this important message to the students. The institute boasts six Protome statues, which present and describe some of the most prominent figures brought to us by Persian culture. One of the statues is of the famous Persian king Cyrus who ruled the Persian Empire in 560 -530 BC and was the first in recorded history to provide a declaration of human rights, aka the Declaration of Cyrus, which gave the exiled Jews the opportunity to return and build their home in the Land of Israel, and establish the Second Temple there. HIT is proud to give space, both on the spiritual and physical level, to Persian culture It forms a mathematical and scientific basis for many of the studies and projects that are carried out to this day in collaboration with the students."

  Photos Silvia Golan