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IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT, UCLA January 26 2008

 
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cyrus
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:17 pm    Post subject: IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT, UCLA January 26 2008 Reply with quote

Click Here To Buy Ticket UCLA Freud PlayHouse January 26 2008 Online
Or
For Tickets Call: 310-825-2101




IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT, UCLA January 26 2008


Spenta Productions | IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT

Come join us along with the world's most renowned scholars and top performing artists in remembering the life of Cyrus the Great on January 26, 2008 at UCLA.

'In Search of Cyrus the Great' is a factually-based documentary film in need of your help and participation.

Date: Saturday January 26, 2008 (7:00 PM)

Place: UCLA Freud PlayHouse | MAP | Direction

Admission: $150 Per Person

Tickets: Available Monday January 7, 2008 at:



Click Here To Buy Ticket UCLA Freud PlayHouse January 26 2008



ActivistChat wrote:

Please support this educational documentary film by Spenta Productions to educate the Arts of Great Leadership for REAL POSITIVE CHANGE At This Inflection Point Of World History away from Machiavelli philosophy towards superior vision of Cyrus The Great for yesterday, today and tomorrow......
7008 ActivistChat


SavePasargad wrote:



Or
For Tickets Call: 310-825-2101


Click Here To Buy Ticket UCLA Freud PlayHouse January 26 2008


Last edited by cyrus on Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:21 pm    Post subject: You are cordially invited to join us in celebrating the life Reply with quote

ActivistChat wrote:

Fellow ActivistChat Community members are cordially invited to join us in celebrating the life of Cyrus The Great ...



Click Here To Buy Ticket UCLA Freud PlayHouse January 26 2008 Online
Or
For Tickets Call: 310-825-2101


SavePasargad wrote:




Nazanin Afshin-Jam wrote:



Must Watch Video Clip: Nazanin Afshin-Jam Releases Debut Album Someday Dedicated to Iranian Freedom

Must Watch VOA interviewed Nazanin Afshin-Jam about child executions and other human rights violations in Iran.



Source: http://www.nazanin.ca
Nazanin
Someday
Label: bodogMUSIC
Album: Someday
Director: Joe Plewa

Description:
Iranian-born Nazanin sings of the "progressive revolution" that she has dedicated her life towards. This song in particular is dedicated to a woman that she helped save from a death sentence after killing her rapist in self-defense.

Please visit:
http://www.nazanin.ca
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:17 pm    Post subject: Her Majesty Queen Farah Pahlavi at the Théatre des Champs-El Reply with quote

Her Majesty Queen Farah Pahlavi at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées "Ciro in Babilonia" de Gioachino Rossini.
farahpahlavi.org wrote:


Saturday, January 12, 2008

Source URL: http://www.farahpahlavi.org/rossini.html







Cyrus à Babylone est le premier grand ouvrage lyrique du célèbre compositeur italien Gioachino Rossini. Il n'avait que 20 ans lorsqu'il le composa pour le voyage officiel de Napoléon Bonaparte à Florence, en 1812.

C'est la Grande-Duchesse de Florence, qui voyait en Bonaparte un digne représentant de la Révolution française et de sa proclamation des droits de l'homme, qui lui en avait passé commande.

Napoléon Bonaparte n'était-il pas le nouveau Cyrus, ce grand libérateur de l'ancien monde, comme le montrent les textes sacrés de la Bible où il est appelé "le Messie" de Dieu ?

L'histoire telle que nous la relate la Bible se passe à Babylone, une nuit de l'an 539 av. J-C pendant le grand festin de Balthasar, puissant roi de ce royaume, en présence des dignitaires du pays. Soudain, une main invisible écrit des mots mystérieux sur le mur de la salle. A la demande du roi, on envoie chercher dans sa prison Daniel, Prophète d'Israël, pour les déchiffrer. Ils révèlent que les jours de Balthasar sont comptés : il périra lors de la prise de Babylone par Cyrus, roi de Perse, qui libérera les captifs.

Comme dans la plupart des opéras, l'histoire sert ici de toile de fond à une intrigue imaginaire où l'on retrouve tous les grands thèmes intemporels : l'amour, la bravoure, la trahison, la lâcheté, portés par la musique sublime de Rossini qui en réutilisera quelques mesures dans des ouvrages postérieurs, dans le Barbier de Séville par exemple.



Also click here to see article by Darius Kadivar in Payvand

IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT, UCLA January 26, 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:36 am    Post subject: Must Watch video anouncment for an event at UCLA: Reply with quote

Watch video anouncment for an event at UCLA: IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT, UCLA January 26 2008

Watch Video In Search of Cyrus the Great - Cyrus Kar- Spenta Productions (English)

Watch In Search of Cyrus the Great - Spenta Productions - Persian (Parsi) Version
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:03 pm    Post subject: Congratulations To IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT Event T Reply with quote

ActivistChat wrote:

Congratulations To "IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT" UCLA Event Team


ActivistChat congratulates film maker Mr. Cyrus Kar , Dariush, Miss World Canada 2003 Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Sussan Deyhim, Anna Djanbazian, Max Amini, scholars and speakers who delivered an excellent successful program IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT, At UCLA on Saturday January 26 2008 . The active participation and contributions in big number was far above ActivistChat expectations and is considered as good success story for all participants and recognition for Mr. Cyrus Kar many years of hard work , accepting many risks towards very noble cause for creating factually-base documentary film ‘In Search Of Cyrus The Great’ with very limited resources.

ActivistChat is appreciating the superb teamwork by many individuals, groups specially is recognizing Ms. Shookoh Mirzadegi and savepasargad.com art team for event promotional advertisement painting, Dr. Iman Foroutan TV interview with Cyrus Kar, many Internet sites, and Bloggers contributions for promoting this great event. This is definitely showed our strong unity in spirit of Cyrus The Great and getting stronger every day. The Google Search For “IN REMEMBRANCE OF CYRUS THE GREAT” shows the extent of support for this event and validates our claim for strong unity for better future.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=IN+REMEMBRANCE+OF+CYRUS+THE+GREAT

Finally ActivistChat appreciates Her Majesty Queen Farah Pahlavi official site link to this event. This is considered as recognition for the importance of this cultural event in LA for presenting our unity at very difficult Inflection Point of our motherland complex history. Her Majesty Queen Farah Pahlavi many years great contributions, care for Iranian Culture, Arts of Persia and cultural events has always been appreciated by millions of Iranian people …

Thank you for excellent teamwork.


ActivistChat 7008
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:40 pm    Post subject: In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great Reply with quote

Amil Imani wrote:

In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great
By: Amil Imani


It happened here, on January 26, 2008 at the UCLA Freud PlayHouse, in Los Angeles, California. It brought the world's most renowned scholars and top performing artists to a remembrance of the life of Cyrus the Great, the founding father of Persia and the mighty Persian Empire— perhaps the most exemplary, magnificent and just king the world has ever known.

This event put together visual arts, the ambience of the theater, the inspirational young and beautiful Anna Djanbazian’s dancers who, in precise rows executed, perfectly harmonious and breathtaking dances. The entertainment continued with delightful music by the legendary Iranian pop singer, Dariush, who selflessly and quickly accepted the offer to perform without any compensation for this noble cause. And, the same goes for the always magnificent, Oscar-Nominated composer, vocalist and performance artist, the beautiful Sussan Deyhim. The evening evolved and cultivated by an impresario of Persian archeology, the adventurous, the explorer, the film maker of our ancient past and simply an Iranian hero, Cyrus Kar himself, daring to lure and was captivate the audience for a mystical night of remembering Cyrus the Great.

The Iranian communities around the world are grateful and appreciative when singers, dancers, performers and artists are willing to set aside their time and perform freely to promote justice and freedom. This would indeed register them forever and ever not only as who they are, but as what they did for a noble cause. We hope to see more and more Iranian artists participating in this kind of gathering. ”An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” said, James MacNeill Whistler.

It all began like a lyrical poem, evolving into the contemplative national epic. In the ancient tradition of historical epics, all the elements were perfectly matched to the image of the inspirational melody.

The opening ceremony started with the Mistress of Ceremonies, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, the charming and beautiful, singer, songwriter and International Human Rights Activist. She was also Miss World Canada. Beyond a doubt her presence gave euphoria and excitment to the entire ceremony.

And finally, the very gracious audience came from near and far to gather to do what every Iranian understands; the recognition and perseverance of our national heritage from the ravages of time and calamities of the present ruling regime in Iran. They came to support their fellow Iranian, Cyrus Kar, who has been, painstakingly, trying to make a documentary film about the life of the benevolent king, Cyrus the Great.

There were many distinguished and honorable speakers who contributed to this event. The first was Dr. David Stronach, the renowned Scottish archaeologist of ancient Iran and Iraq. He is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Also speaking were Dr. Jennifer Rose, Professor at Stanford University, Dr. Abbas Milani, an Iranian-American historian and author, Professor Mark D. Rosenbaum, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Los Angeles, where he has worked since 1974.
Having programs to support artists for who they are and what they do is a great thing one can do. Artists always need our support. It is our encouragement and financial support that enables them to continue in their endeavors and passions. As an example, many colleges and universities have created the largest system of supporting patronage the world has ever seen. “This system of education and patronage spends, each year, hundreds of millions of dollars on salaries for poets, writers, on reading series; on conferences and classes; and on university presses and little magazines. This support benefits poets, students, and general readers and the public.”
Notwithstandingly, what the Islamic Republic despotic rulers have set out to do is defeat the Iranian spirit inside Iran and extinguish Cyrus’ spirit around the world through brainwashing, coercion, and terrorist acts. It has given Cyrus Kar all the more impetus to re-create and show the world who and what Cyrus the Great truly was, the embodiment of the human spirit. This documentary is in its final stages and is in dire need of your support.

It is ironic that a man whom the Jews called Messiah and died 2500 years ago can be a threat to the very existence of this brutal, un-Iranian current Islamic regime. The Islamic Republic of Iran seems to be fearful both of the dead and the living. Yet, Iran has survived despite her enemies, the course of innumerable wars, invasions, pillages and captivity at the hands of barbaric tribes and being forced into an un-Iranian religion.

Our message to the world is clear. We, the diverse people of Iran are descendants of an optimistic, enlightened, and positive people. We “are” the children of Cyrus the Great. We meet any challenge and pay any price to defeat tyranny and we will not rest until Iran is completely free of the despotic rule of Islamofascism.





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PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:42 pm    Post subject: Top Story On Monday Jan 28 2008 | Dallas , tx Edition Reply with quote

Your News wrote:
Top Story On Monday Jan 28 2008 | Dallas , tx Edition

http://www.yournews.com/copyroom/mynews.asp?Story_Id=17331&sections_id=382&sections_child_id=473&zipcode=59462&fullname


American Chronicle wrote:
From American Chronicle:
In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/50390


International Analyst Network wrote:

http://www.analyst-network.com/article.php?art_id=1642

In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:04 am    Post subject: In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great, the First Secular King of Reply with quote

Google Serach Result In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great By Amil Imani

In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great, the First Secular King of History



Steven Fodor wrote:

Steven Fodor <wrote:
Amil,

I am tinkering with some basic concepts of a civil society.

The pure mentioning of old glory can be self - flattering.

It is remaining almost a fluke, to get a leadership which pursues the civil society.

Historically, there were short periods of a rule of the civil society, and soon they were replaced by violence.

In case of the Persian nation, it would be a a giant enterprise to bring together the best sons of the nation, to create a civil society from the ruins of previous existences.

The violated nation is bleeding, and its own sons are sometimes the causes of the wounds.

Steven


Rene wrote:
Amil,

Thanks for sharing this. It was my 11th birthday when my bedridden father --his body and mind being ravaged by terminal cancer-- gave me a most treasured gift that 20 years later I passed onto one of my children: a leather bound copy of Herodotus' Nine Books of History (aka The Histories). It was Herodotus who introduced me to Cyrus the Great and drove admire the greatness of the quondam Persian Empire.

Rene
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:53 pm    Post subject: Man Of The Year Cyrus Kar Reply with quote

Activistchat wrote:

Congratulations to film-maker Mr. Cyrus Kar who has been chosen by The International Committee to Save Pasargad as Man of The Year for the first documentary on the life and works of Cyrus the Great.

7008 Activistchat


1) Must Watch Video Interview In English: Cyrus Kar, the Iranian Man of the Year Talks to Sohrab Akhavane

Or 2) Must Watch Video Interview In Persian: Cyrus Kar, the Iranian Man of the Year Talks to Sohrab Akhavane

Cyrus Kar, the Iranian Man of the Year Talks to Sohrab Akhavan-F Farsi version: The International Committee to Save Pasargad chose Mr. Cyrus Kar, the director of the first documentary on the life and works of Cyrus the Great as the 7008 Man of the Year. Here, in this short video, he talks about his work to Sohrab Akhavan, the Iranian TV presenter and filmmaker in Farsi.

If You Wish The Cyrus The Great Film Documentary By Cyrus Kar to Be Finished Faster Then Please Click This Link NOW ....

SavePasargad wrote:



مرد سا ل
سيروس کار

پژوهشگر و کارگردان، ايرانی ـ آمريکايي

و سازنده ی اولين فيلم جهان درباره کوروش بزرگ

به خاطر تلاش های خستگی ناپذيرش برای به پايان رساندن فيلم «در جستجوی کورش»، که به طور کامل و با توجه به واقعيات تاريخی زندگی کوروش، و به خصوص در مورد صدور منشور حقوق بشر او، ساخته شده است. او اين فيلم را با سرمايه شخصی خود ساخته و اکنون، به ياری مردمان فرهنگدوست، در مرحله مونتاژ و ديگر مراحل پايانی آن است


Cyrus Kar wrote:

سيروس کار: وقتی پاسارگاد را ديدم دوباره به دنيا آمدم، نه به عنوان يک ايرانی که در مرزهای ايران زاده شده بلکه به عنوان يک ايرانی واقعی
مصاحبه اختصاصی با سيروس کار، از : سهراب اخوان
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:25 pm    Post subject: A comment and Thanks To Amil Imani Reply with quote

Dear Amil,



Thank you for what you do. I read your articles all the time. It must be very depressing seeing your country being steadily destroyed by a set of mental Zombies wearing ball gowns and party hats. I feel exactly the same, but perhaps not to the same degree, with the politicians of my country England. They are also brain dead, they are dragging my beloved country into a state of dimitude with there mindless PC appeasement attitude. I am getting old and the fire in my belly has almost gone out, but it doesn't stop me getting angry. The problem is that we are on the way towards a great world war, it wont come next week, but it wont be long. The world political scene is showing the same symptoms as it did between 1935-39, appeasement, lying to itself and finding excuses to justify their appeasement, a delusional U.N. In many ways the League of Nations was worse. Now we have the crowing of the Islamic fascists with there modern version of ein Reich ein Volk ein Fuhrer, one Califate one Ummah, one prophet, are they any different to the Nazis? Then we had the rantings of Hitler and Mussolini and the lying propaganda of Goebbels. Now we have the rantings of Amajinadad and the shrill screaming of the Mullahs, interpreting the word of the prophet ( Islamic propaganda). The problem is that we have no leaders who understand the problem, no historians to lead us. If you read about Churchill you will find that he wrote 40 books most of them histories, Roosevelt if my memory does not delude me had also a classical education. Without a past we have no future, they understood this, the leaders of today do not. I do not think you have come to this conclusion logically, but in reading your work you have certainly come to it intuitively. Whether you are aware of it, I don't know, by the way I enjoyed your writing about Cyrus and the attempt to destroy his tomb. Without history we are doomed.




Deep Regards

Yorkshire M




PS

I hope I am not being impertinent but have you ever read anything about the Taiping Rebellion? With you knowledge of Islam I do not think you will have any problems to draw parallels. The rebellion only last about 20 years but it almost brought China to its knees. It cost China between 20- 30,000,000 dead to defeat it. If the rebellion had been successful then well, I will leave you to draw your own conclusions


Amil Imani wrote:

The Iranian Cultural & Natural Heritage Year
World Amil Imani, Featured Writer
March 14, 2008
For Complete Article:
http://www.therant.us/staff/imani/2008/03142008.htm

According to the World Encyclopedia, cultural genocide is a term used to describe the deliberate destruction of the cultural heritage of a people or nation for political or military reasons. Since coming to power twenty-nine years ago, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been in a constant battle with the Iranian people as well as her culture and heritage.

The upcoming observance of The Iranian Cultural & Natural Heritage Year in the spring of 2008 is not just an Iranian event; it is humanity's most precious heritage event -- your and your descendents' heritage. It is an event of great value which is in dire need of your support. Generations of humanity will bemoan the loss of this living testimony to the nobility of mankind. The destructive hand of any kind of zealots must be stayed. Stand up, raise your voice and do what is in your power to preserve what is rightfully yours.




Amil Imani wrote:

In Remembrance of Cyrus the Great
By: Amil Imani


It happened here, on January 26, 2008 at the UCLA Freud PlayHouse, in Los Angeles, California. It brought the world's most renowned scholars and top performing artists to a remembrance of the life of Cyrus the Great, the founding father of Persia and the mighty Persian Empire— perhaps the most exemplary, magnificent and just king the world has ever known.

This event put together visual arts, the ambience of the theater, the inspirational young and beautiful Anna Djanbazian’s dancers who, in precise rows executed, perfectly harmonious and breathtaking dances. The entertainment continued with delightful music by the legendary Iranian pop singer, Dariush, who selflessly and quickly accepted the offer to perform without any compensation for this noble cause. And, the same goes for the always magnificent, Oscar-Nominated composer, vocalist and performance artist, the beautiful Sussan Deyhim. The evening evolved and cultivated by an impresario of Persian archeology, the adventurous, the explorer, the film maker of our ancient past and simply an Iranian hero, Cyrus Kar himself, daring to lure and was captivate the audience for a mystical night of remembering Cyrus the Great.

The Iranian communities around the world are grateful and appreciative when singers, dancers, performers and artists are willing to set aside their time and perform freely to promote justice and freedom. This would indeed register them forever and ever not only as who they are, but as what they did for a noble cause. We hope to see more and more Iranian artists participating in this kind of gathering. ”An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” said, James MacNeill Whistler.

It all began like a lyrical poem, evolving into the contemplative national epic. In the ancient tradition of historical epics, all the elements were perfectly matched to the image of the inspirational melody.

The opening ceremony started with the Mistress of Ceremonies, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, the charming and beautiful, singer, songwriter and International Human Rights Activist. She was also Miss World Canada. Beyond a doubt her presence gave euphoria and excitment to the entire ceremony.

And finally, the very gracious audience came from near and far to gather to do what every Iranian understands; the recognition and perseverance of our national heritage from the ravages of time and calamities of the present ruling regime in Iran. They came to support their fellow Iranian, Cyrus Kar, who has been, painstakingly, trying to make a documentary film about the life of the benevolent king, Cyrus the Great.

There were many distinguished and honorable speakers who contributed to this event. The first was Dr. David Stronach, the renowned Scottish archaeologist of ancient Iran and Iraq. He is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Also speaking were Dr. Jennifer Rose, Professor at Stanford University, Dr. Abbas Milani, an Iranian-American historian and author, Professor Mark D. Rosenbaum, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Los Angeles, where he has worked since 1974.
Having programs to support artists for who they are and what they do is a great thing one can do. Artists always need our support. It is our encouragement and financial support that enables them to continue in their endeavors and passions. As an example, many colleges and universities have created the largest system of supporting patronage the world has ever seen. “This system of education and patronage spends, each year, hundreds of millions of dollars on salaries for poets, writers, on reading series; on conferences and classes; and on university presses and little magazines. This support benefits poets, students, and general readers and the public.”
Notwithstandingly, what the Islamic Republic despotic rulers have set out to do is defeat the Iranian spirit inside Iran and extinguish Cyrus’ spirit around the world through brainwashing, coercion, and terrorist acts. It has given Cyrus Kar all the more impetus to re-create and show the world who and what Cyrus the Great truly was, the embodiment of the human spirit. This documentary is in its final stages and is in dire need of your support.

It is ironic that a man whom the Jews called Messiah and died 2500 years ago can be a threat to the very existence of this brutal, un-Iranian current Islamic regime. The Islamic Republic of Iran seems to be fearful both of the dead and the living. Yet, Iran has survived despite her enemies, the course of innumerable wars, invasions, pillages and captivity at the hands of barbaric tribes and being forced into an un-Iranian religion.

Our message to the world is clear. We, the diverse people of Iran are descendants of an optimistic, enlightened, and positive people. We “are” the children of Cyrus the Great. We meet any challenge and pay any price to defeat tyranny and we will not rest until Iran is completely free of the despotic rule of Islamofascism.



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PostPosted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:14 pm    Post subject: The Truth Behind Spiegel’s Article By Cyrus Reply with quote

Cyrus Kar wrote:

The Truth Behind Spiegel’s Article By Cyrus Kar


In a recent article, titled “UN Treasure Honors Persian Despot,” Spiegel Magazine criticizes the United Nations for recognizing an ancient artifact believed by many to be the world’s first declaration of human rights. The “Persian Despot” of course is Cyrus The Great, the author of the doctrine inscribed on the outer surface of a clay cylinder housed at the British Museum in London where it’s simply known as the Cyrus Cylinder.

When this cylinder was discovered in 1879, amid the ruins of Babylon, it made huge headlines in the Christian West. It was the first time a biblical story had been confirmed through archaeology. But the euphoria quickly wore off. The democratic age had no room for a celebrated monarch.

Before the age of democracy, most of the world had been ruled by monarchs. Since good monarchs were few and far between, the West had long considered Cyrus the epitome of what a good king should be based largely on the accounts of the Old Testament but also on a book titled ‘The Cyropaedia,’ which literally means the Teaching of Cyrus, written by the 4th century BCE Greek author Xenophon.

But at the height of democratic fervor, in the mid 19th century, Xenophon was virtually blacklisted, fewer people were reading the Bible and Herodotus, the 5th century BCE Greek writer who pits Persia’s monarchy against Greece’s democracy, was suddenly hailed as the “Father of History.”

By 1960 the lines between history and politics had been blurred, which is why the pursuit of historical accuracy is such a noble and worthy cause. But there’s little historical accuracy to be found in Spiegel’s article. The shear number of mistakes, assumptions and half truths leave one wondering whether any attempt at objective reporting was made.

The crux of Spiegel’s article boils down to the following argument: Since Cyrus was “no humanist” ergo “The notion that Cyrus introduced concepts of human rights is nonsense.”

If this premise holds true, then the French ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen,’ which is recognized as one of the great human-rights doctrines, should also be considered nonsense since few would describe 1789 French Revolutionaries as “humanists.”

But then again, this article is not about France. It is about ancient Persia, or today’s Iran, a country left without a steward to protect its history from the likes of Spiegel – a state of affairs not entirely lost on its author. Citing the Ayatollah Khomeini as an authority on human rights, the article quotes him as saying, “The crimes committed by Iranian kings have blackened the pages of history books.”


Falsehoods

According to the article, Cyrus blackened the pages of history by starting “a 30-year war that consumed the Orient and forced millions to pay heavy taxes. Anyone who refused stood to have his nose and ears cut off. Those sentenced to death were buried up to their heads in sand, left to be finished off by the sun.”

It may come as a shock to people who have come to trust reputable news organizations like Spiegel to learn that not a single word in this statement is true. We know it’s not true because there are only a finite number of sources to draw from. In fact, all of our data on Cyrus The Great come from two primary sources, the Cyrus Cylinder and the Nabonidus Chronicle and four secondary, less reliable sources including the Old Testament and three classical Greek authors namely Herodotus, Xenophon and Ctesias.

Not one of these sources mentions anything about Cyrus cutting off someone’s nose or ears, nor do they mention him burying anyone up to their heads in sand. But how could Spiegel have gotten it so wrong?

The German magazine saw fit to stake its reputation on the findings of Dr. Matthias Schulz. But don’t let the “Dr.” title fool you. Mr. Schulz is no expert in Persian or even Near Eastern Studies. In fact, his official title posted on Vanderbilt University’s website reads: “Visiting Associate Professor, and Director, Center for European and German Studies.”

Mr. Schulz’s lack of knowledge on the subject is immediately clear when he describes how Cyrus died. “A spear punctured his thigh,” he claims, and Cyrus “died three days later.” Anyone writing an article for Spiegel should know that it was Cambyses - not Cyrus - who is described by Herodotus as having died of a leg injury:

“as he (Cambyses) was springing into the saddle, the cap fell off the sheath of his sword, exposing the blade, which pierced his thigh . . . Shortly afterwards gangrene and mortification of the thigh set in, and Cambyses died”
(Herodotus 3:64-66)

Equally reckless is Mr. Schulz’s allegation that Cyrus “was responsible for a 30-year war.” According to both primary and secondary sources, Cyrus was not responsible for any war except Babylon which lasted 19 days, not 30 years. The Nabonidus Chronicle emphatically states that his first war was instigated by the Median king, Astyages:

“Astyages mustered his army and marched against Cyrus, king of Anshan, for conquest.”
(Nabonidus Chronicle Column II: Line 1)

His second war was started by the Lydian king, Croesus, who, according to Herodotus, wanted to punish Cyrus for defeating Astyages.

“Croesus had a craving to extend his territories, but there were two other reasons for his attack on Cappadocia: namely his trust in the oracle and his desire to punish Cyrus.”
(Herodotus 1:73)


Half Truths

Mr. Schulz seems to add his own biased spin to otherwise benign words such as “heavy taxes.” Yes, like all governments, Cyrus collected taxes from his citizens. But were they “heavy?” Perhaps it’s safe to say that all taxes are “heavy” in the eyes of those who have to pay them. But even Cyrus’s taxation was revolutionary. Before Cyrus, taxes were little more than extortion money. You paid the government not to kill you or enslave you. But for the first time in imperial history, Cyrus’s subjects got representation for their taxation such as security, a postal system and roads that according to Dr. David Stronach were described as being so safe from bandits “that a virgin could move from one end of the empire to the other with a pot of gold on her head and never be touched.”

The Persian empire also provided its citizens with a justice system so impartial that the Old Testament describes it as follows:

“the law[s] of the Medes and Persians, . . . altereth not.”
[Daniel 6:8]

Some of Mr. Schulz’s charges sound almost desperate. One of his “experts” complains that Cyrus, “demanded that his subjects kiss his feet.” This is yet another half truth. Yes, there is evidence that Cyrus’s subjects kissed his feet, but there is no evidence that he “demanded” anyone to do so. In fact, Xenophon describes one of Cyrus’s Generals, Tigranes, as choosing not to kiss his hands, let alone his feet.


Contradictions

In some cases, Mr. Schulz seems to allege the exact opposite of what the sources tell us. For example, in his cylinder, Cyrus tells us:

[24] while my extensive troops marched peacefully through Babylon. In the whole land of Sumer and Akkad I did not allow any troublemaker to arise. [25] His city of Babylon and all his cult-centres I maintained in prosperity.
(Cyrus Cylinder: Line 24-25)

But Mr. Schulz, in his infinite wisdom, claims that Cyrus’s “army ransacked residential neighborhoods and holy sites.”

By the same token, Cyrus tells us:

“I gathered all their former inhabitants and returned them to their houses.”
(Cyrus Cylinder: Line 32)

Mr. Schultz, on the other hand, accuses Cyrus of “deporting” urban elites. The falsehoods in this article are so numerous that citing the evidence seems useless. But then, Mr. Schulz isn’t really interested in the facts. He and his motley crew of “experts” have dismissed all these sources as “propaganda.” So what is the basis for his theory? The answer lies in a single verse of the Nabonidus Chronicle.

Cyrus’s King-Arthur-like image was shattered in 1965 when a post-graduate student by the name of A.K. Grayson retranslated the Nabonidus Chronicle for his doctoral thesis. His interpretation revealed a bloody massacre by Cyrus of the entire civilian population at the city of Opis (near today's Baghdad). The following passage is what cynics like Mr. Schultz and his experts have zeroed in on for the last 40+ years:

“In the month of Tishri when Cyrus(II) did battle at Opis on the [bank of] the Tigris against the army of Akkad, the people of Akkad retreated. He carried off the plunder (and) slaughtered the people.”

The naysayers finally had their red meat. The Herodotian East/West divide was secure. But unbeknownst to Mr. Schulz, this passage was corrected last year by none other than A. K. Grayson’s former professor, W. G. Lambert and published in the 2007 issue of the French journal N.A.B.U.. The amended translation reads as follows:

In Tishri, when Cyrus did battle with the army of Akkad at Opis, on the [bank] of the Tigris, the soldiers of Akkad withdrew. He (Cyrus) took plunder and defeated the soldiers (of Akkad).

Cyrus did not “slaughter the people,” he “defeated the soldiers.” Two words can change history, which is why it’s so incumbent on Spiegel to get the facts straight before setting out to revise it. This revelation leaves Mr. Schulz’s article with nothing but speculation and conjecture.

Mr. Schulz may see himself as an iconoclast out to “debunk” a long-standing tradition. But it is, in fact, Mr. Schultz’s position that is cliché. Persia’s role as an evil villain is such an integral part of Western folklore that only a handful of scholars such as Tom Holland have dared step out of the Euro-centric box to side with the evidence.



Pax Persica


The United Nations, which does not share Mr. Schulz’s Western bias, is the main target of his wrath. He mocks the UN for not sharing his anti-Persian bias, when he writes, “Suddenly even the UN secretary-general was insisting that Cyrus wanted peace, and that the Persian king had shown the wisdom to respect other civilizations.”

Actually yes; the U.N. has it right. The quest for peace was a well-known policy of the Persian empire. Revolts disrupted commerce, and disrupted commerce meant disrupted taxes. So to avoid revolts, Persian kings granted their subjects certain God-given rights in order to maintain peace throughout the empire. Had Mr. Schulz done the slightest bit of research, he would have found that there is even a name for this policy. It’s called “Pax Persica” and it is described by Dr. Maria Brosius as follows:

“The politics of the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire is referred to as the politics of Pax Persica, which means the Persian Peace, and what the Persian kings propagated was the idea of an empire at peace and the way that they tried to achieve that was through tolerance of other people’s cultures, religion, languages and administration.”

Whether such tolerance was intended to prevent revolts or whether it was part of their Zoroastrian culture is a matter of debate. But there is no debate about whether such freedoms existed. These rights were first laid out by Persia’s patriarch, Cyrus The Great, and the clay cylinder, which Mr. Schulz calls “a hoax,” is a rare snapshot of Cyrus bestowing these very rights on the people of Babylon after conquering it in 539 BCE.

The cylinder is groundbreaking in many ways. It records the first instance of a conqueror paying homage to the foreign God of his conquered subjects. It orders all idol statues, which had been confiscated by previous Babylonian kings, returned to their “rightful abodes.” But the act that would immortalize Cyrus forever is captured in lines 25 and 26:

“The [. . .] people of Babylon, who, against the will of the gods [...] (had suffered) a yoke unsuitable for them [through that man (Nabonidus)], [26] I offered relief from their exhaustion and ended their servitude.”
(Cyrus Cylinder: Line 25-26)

Among those who were relieved from their exhaustion and servitude were over 100,000 Jews who chronicled the events that led to their captivity in the Old Testament. They describe a horrifying scene of destruction, murder and torture carried out by the infamous Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, on the Jewish people and their capital city, Jerusalem.

“Nebuchadnezzar took those (Jews) who weren’t executed to Babylon to be slaves for him and his sons. They remained captives until the Persian empire began to rule . . . The lord moved the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put in writing. . . . This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: . . . May the Lord be with all of you who are his people. You may go.
Chronicles II (35:20-23)

Here we have two completely independent sources corroborating each other. Is this all propaganda? No previous victor seems to have found it necessary to ingratiate himself to his vanquished subjects. In fact, reigning through terror sustained the Assyrian empire for over half a millennium. Sustaining his empire through a strategy of peace and tolerance was an enormous risk to Cyrus.

Yet despite the risks, freedom of religion, freedom from servitude and the right to live where one chooses were guaranteed for the first time in writing. They may not be as well defined as the U.S. Bill Of Rights or the Magna Carta, but after six centuries of Assyrian and Babylonian rule, the decrees enshrined on this cylinder were no less groundbreaking.

Mr. Schulz considers those who appreciate Cyrus’s impact on world history as belonging to “the Cyrus cult.” But this cult boasts an impressive roster. Some of history’s greatest leaders, from Julius Caesar to Thomas Jefferson, studied Cyrus. In fact the Western concept of “the separation of church and state” may well have been influenced by Cyrus.

Dr. Richard Frye, the foremost expert on ancient Persia believes, that Cyrus’s tolerant policies could have only taken root in the world’s first secular government:

“The most important thing about Cyrus and the Achaemenid empire was the spread of secular law all over the empire. Before this time, law was based on religion, local religion of the Babylonians, or the Hebrews, or the Egyptians. But now, for the first time in history, you have secular law. In my opinion, the continuation of Roman law is based upon Achaemenid law.”
(Dr. Richard Frye, Harvard University)

In fairness to Mr. Schulz, he got one thing right. Cyrus was no humanist. He was a conqueror. But he was a humane conqueror - an oxymoron best explained by the world’s leading expert on Cyrus The Great, Dr. David Stronach:

“For the first time, on a very wide scale, Cyrus used great force to protect, not degrade, the human condition.”
(Dr. David Stronach, U.C. Berkeley)

Cyrus influenced heads of state as recently as 1948 when President Harry Truman based his decision to support the state of Israel in large part on his emulation of Cyrus. When introduced once as “the man who helped create the state of Israel,” Truman is said to have quipped, “What do you mean ‘helped create’? I am Cyrus! I am Cyrus!

By publishing Mr. Schulz’s article, Spiegel Magazine showed a flagrant disregard for the basic standards of responsible journalism. Spiegel owes its readers truth in reporting. Instead it passed off an uninformed opinion as news. The truth is owed a retraction or at the very least an impartial follow-up article based on evidence and qualified experts.

Mr. Schulz’s article closes with the following proverb: “A fool may throw a stone into a well which a hundred wise men cannot pull out.” It seems that the only one throwing stones, is Mr. Schulz.

Cyrus Kar

Source URL:
http://www.spentaproductions.com/


ActivistChat wrote:

If You Wish The Cyrus The Great Film Documentary By Cyrus Kar to Be Finished Faster Then Please Click This Link NOW ....


ActivistChat wrote:

Public Action Request:
Boycott SPIEGEL Magazine


Free Iran Activists Are Asking To Boycott SPIEGEL Magazine By Public & Germans FOR Insulting Cyrus The Great, UN, Iranians, Germans, Greek, Jews, Iranian-Americans and Indirectly CALLING THE BIBLE THE BOOK OF LIES ….

In Order To Stop Boycott The SPIEGEL Magazine Must Deliver The Following Fair Demands :

1) Publish Professor Kaveh Farokh “Response to Spiegel Magazine’s Attack on the Legacy of Cyrus the Great”
2) Publish Cyrus Kar Article “The Truth Behind Spiegel’s Article”
3) Put Cyrus The Great painting on the Cover Page of SPIEGEL Magazine.
4) Retraction by SPIEGEL Magazine for lies and deception.



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PostPosted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.rezapahlavi.org/messages/?persian&id=327


پیام شاهزاده رضا پهلوی بمناسبت روز کورش بزرگ، اعلام منشور حقوق بشر

سه شنبه 7 آبان 1387

همراه و همصدا با هم میهنان عزیزم، سال روز صـدور نخستین منشور آزادی انسان ها را بزرگ می دارم.

امیدوارم که یادآوری و بزرگداشت این رویداد تاریخی افتخار همۀ فرزندان ایران را به هویت تاریخی و درخشانشان دو چندان سازد و همبستگی آنان در راه نیل به آزادی و نیک بختی را جانی تازه بخشد. بیست و پنج قرن پیش، در دورانی که واژه های آزادی و حق بر مردم جهان ناشناخته بود، کورش بزرگ، پادشاه دادگر ایران، از آزادی و حیثیت انسان سخن گفت. او همگان را فراخواند که به یکی از آزادی های بنیادی بشری، که همانا آزادی پرستش و انتخاب مذهب باشد، احترام گذارند و با پیـروان هیچ کیشی به دشمنی برنخیزند و برعکس با آنان با احترام و مدارا رفتار کنند. چنین توشه های ارزنده و میراث های گران قدر فرهنگی است که شالوده های هویت ملی و ایرانی مردم شریف و صلح جوی ایران را مایه و ملاطی جاودانه بخشیده.

امروز با بزرگداشت و تکیۀ هرچه بیشتر بر چنین میراث هـا و ارزش هایی است که می توان پیکــار بــا دشمنـان حقوق و آزادی های مردم ایران را نیرویی بی کران بخشید. با الهام گرفتن از همۀ بزرگان و آزادی خواهان نامدار تاریخ ایران واز قهرمانان مترقی انقلاب مشروطه است که می توان سرانجام غاصبان حقوق مردم ایران و دشمنان آزادی و پیشرفت و نیک بختی آنان را به عقب راند و بار دیگر نام ایران را به فهرست جوامع آزاد و آباد جهان افزود.

یقین دارم که چنین خواهد شد.

خداوند نگهدار ایران باد
رضا پهلوی
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:12 pm    Post subject: Cyrus the Great Day On October 29 Reply with quote

Please Watch NEW Music Video : Cyrus the Great Day On October 29 بمناسبت روز کورش بزرگ، اعلام منشور حقوق بشر -
min 37 - Oct 29, 2008

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2347819573716647591


October 29th has been designated as the international day of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, who declared the first charter of human rights in the world, also known as the Cyrus Cylinder. In 539 BC, Persian troops entered the city of Babylon, without encountering any resistance. On October 29th, Cyrus himself entered the city, assuming the titles of "King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, King of the four corners of the world.” The Cyrus Cylinder was placed under the walls of Babylon as a foundation deposit, following a long Babylonian tradition.

This Integrated Video has the following tracks:
Track 1 Music - 01:24 - Padeshah Khooban By Haydeh (Haideh)
Track 2 Message - 06:00 - H.M. Shah Of Iran Short Message To Iranian People
Track 3 Music - 07:50 - Parsi=Tajiki=Dari (Atash Zartusht Music) آتش زرتشت
Track 4 Music - 11:38 - Parsi=Tajiki=Dari( Tajikam Man Music) تاجکم من
Track 5 Music - 17:40 - Les Ballets Persans - Babak Khorramdin
Quote:
The story of the brave Iranian national hero, Babak Khorram-Din, who in the 9th century led the rebellion against the foreign invasion of Iran.
After 23 years of courageous resistance he was captured and brutally executed.
But his legend lives until today ...
Source: http://www.balletspersans.org

Track 6 Slide Show - 23:40 - Slide Show 2,500 Year Celebration of Iran's Monarchy
Track 7 Slide Show - 32:40 - H.M. Prince Reza Pahlavi Message Regarding Cyrus Day (Persian) پیام شاهزاده رضا پهلوی بمناسبت روز کورش بزرگ، اعلام منشور حقوق بشر
Track 8 - Paintings Slide Show For Promotion of international day of Cyrus the Great

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