Mehregan. A colorful Persian autumn festival that celebrates love as much as friendship. A moment meticulously chosen by Dr. Alain Salimpour, a psychiatrist of Iranian origin who has been living in Nice for over 30 years, to launch his Franco-Persian Cultural Association. With the organization, on Sunday, October 31 at 6:00 PM at Parc Phoenix (Linné Room), of an exceptional concert of ancient and contemporary music from France and Iran, as well as a performance of traditional Persian dance. An initiative that this renowned clinician and talented musician details in an exclusive interview with Nice Premium.
Nice-Premium: How did the idea of creating this association come to you?
Dr. Alain Salimpour: The creation of a Franco-Persian Association is certainly not new. There have been and still are others, which have contributed to the flourishing of Iranian culture in our region. In particular, the creation of a school to help children of Iranian origin not forget the Persian language. The originality of our association is the idea of promoting the mutual flourishing of French and Persian cultures, especially in a context where the risks of confusing politics and culture are omnipresent.
Nice-Premium: What are the aims of the Franco-Persian cultural association?
Dr. Alain Salimpour: As I just mentioned, promoting exchanges and dialogue between these two peoples and allowing the French from the Alpes-Maritimes region and specifically from Nice, to better know Iranian culture and Iranians to better know French culture.
Nice-Premium: What do the French and Persians share culturally and civilizationally, in your opinion?
Dr. Alain Salimpour: You know what they say about Iranians? That they’re the French of the Orient. The saying that everyone has two homelands, their own and France, fits well with Iranians who do not feel completely foreign when living in France. Both peoples are avid for culture. When you walk on Sunday morning at Cours Saleya, you might meet the olive merchant who will talk to you about Cyrus and Persepolis. As for the Iranian peasant, he knows entire pages of Hafez by heart. I’m not talking about the books of Victor Hugo, which have always been best sellers in Iran.
Nice-Premium: How do you distinguish Persian culture from contemporary Iranian culture?
Dr. Alain Salimpour: We called this Association Franco-Persian. We could have also called it Franco-Iranian because the two are the same. It’s more a matter of semantics. One must not confuse politics and culture. Politics change, culture is rooted in the depths of the unconscious. Culture remains eternal. Politics can do nothing against it.
Look, Iran has been the target of devastating invasions throughout its history. Its libraries with their books have been burned. Its monuments have been destroyed. But Iranians know where they come from, and that’s also what culture is about.
Nice-Premium: Aren’t you afraid of your cultural action being co-opted by the Islamic Republic of Iran?
Dr. Alain Salimpour: No, precisely because our association, as its name indicates, is cultural and completely apolitical. We respect all those interested in the history and culture of the two countries, regardless of their political opinion, religion, or skin color.
Participation in expenses: 15 euros
Franco-Persian Cultural Association, a non-profit association governed by the law of July 1, 1901.
Registered at the prefecture of Nice, No: W06 200 37 46 – 4, Boulevard DUBOUCHAGE – 06000 – NICE
Tel 06 20 330 095 –
e-mail: association.cfp@gmail.com
Facebook: Franco Persane –
YouTube: AssFrancoPersane
