Adam's race members of one frame;
Since all, at first, from the same essence came.
When by hard fortune one limb is oppressed,
The other members lose their wonted rest.
If thou feel'st not for others misery,
A son of Adam is no name for thee. 

From the Golestan (Rose Garden) by Sa'adi.

This poem from the masterwork, Golestan, by one of Iran's greatest national epic poets, Sa'adi, is rightfully engraved above the entrance to the United Nations' Headquarters in New York City. One can wonder what better place there could possibly be for a message aimed at all mankind, appealing for peace, solidarity, integration, and unity, than above the entrance to a building where hundreds of people who officially represent almost all the nations of the world, gather on a daily basis.

Everything in our universe such as we know it today, is subject to constant change, and our planet is not exempt from this. But has there ever been a time in our recorded history when the changes take place so rapidly as in our times? In a world where technological advances accelerate at an ever increasing speed, exposing people and societies to ideas, values and norms which previously were largely unknown to them, it becomes more obvious for each day that there is a great need and necessity for various channels of international dialogue. The foremost objectives of such a dialogue should be to mend differences where there is a need, while on the other hand promote tolerance, and also an appreciation for the positive aspects of diversity. To emphasize commonalities and similarities should be yet another important objective.

What better instrument of diplomacy with such multi-dimensional qualities could be more effective in achieving all of the above than a dialogue through the arts? Whether in the form of fine arts, music or dance, art is the one element of human expression, which transcends all the conventions that traditionally have limited human communication and integration. Neither languages nor borders can easily pose as obstacles for this form of interaction.

By bringing together the talents of artists from various countries and cultures, and providing the opportunity for the rebirth of an art form that vanished with the tumultuous events of the history of a nation, it is also the great hope and ambition of Les Ballet Persans through this form of expression, to contribute to a dialogue between the peoples and cultures of the world.

Nima Kiann
Founder and Artistic Director of
Les Ballets Persans
7 May, 2004