Events
Upcoming Events
Please scroll down to see past events' photos.
Election 2023-2024
Are you interested in serving as the president of the KU Iranian Community Association? Nominate yourself by April 7th, 2023 through the link below:
Nomination Deadline: April 7, 2023
Election Day: April 14th, 2023
Date & Time:
Friday, April 14th, 2023
8:00 am - 11:45 pm
Location:
Online
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together.
Date & Time:
Friday, March 24th, 2023
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, The Roundtable Room
Global Conversations: Public Demonstration in Iran
Presented by:
Dr. Rana Esfandiary, Assistant Professor, Theater & Dance
Alireza Mirzaeinejad, MFA student, Visual Arts
Conversations among panelists, including:
Dr. Homayoon Rafatijo, Esq., Intellectual Property Attorney, Spencer Fane LLP
Sponsored by: KU Iranian Community Association, Global Awareness Program, Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, International Affairs, The Commons
Date & Time:
Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location:
Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center
Legal Rights with Homayoon: When is the sniff up to snuff?
Are you interested in learning about your legal rights in the U.S.? Join us for an informative session with the federal attorney, Homayoon Rafatijo.
Date & Time:
TBD
Location:
TBD
Movie Night
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
Date & Time:
TBD
Location:
TBD
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball together.
Communicate with us to make sure about the time and location.
Date & Time:
Sundays
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Rock Chalk Sports Complex
Past Events
Date & Time:
Saturday, March 11th, 2023
6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Location:
Lied Center of Kansas
Lawrence Journal-World Reports about the Rally
University Daily Kansan's report about the campus rally
Kansas Reflector's report about the campus rally
Campus Rally for Iran
A Terrorized Nation, H. Rafatijo
On this International Women’s Day, we are gathered together to vociferate the Iranian people’s strangled voice of innocence, suppressed by their dictatorial and oppressive government. We are here to impart the “sound of silence” of a terrified people to our KU family. We are here to pronounce encomium upon countless, brave men and women who have been fighting tooth and nail for their most fundamental, but long-forgotten, human rights.
We are gathered here in solidarity with our fellow Iranians, who have been denied for decades of even most basic liberties, such as, the liberty to speak their thoughts fearlessly, the liberty to dress in the attire of their choice, or the liberty to drink a bottle of beer under no threat of public flogging.
We are all here, on this International Women’s Day, to commemorate Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was manhandled to death by the Islamic government’s infamous morality police only because of her choice of attire. We are gathered here, on this International Women’s Day, to immortalize the memory of Nika Shakarami, a 16-year-old woman who was chased to her demise by the government’s police forces, for no crime other than participating in peaceful protests against barbaric and compulsory Hijab laws.
We are here to remember relentless execution of Sayed Mohammad Hosseini, a 39-year-old Iranian man hanged from a crane after sustaining physical and mental abuse for two months. We are gathered here for Mohsen Shekari, a 23-year-old Iranian man executed in less than three months following his arrest for participating in protests. We are here to honor Majid Reza Rahnavard, who, despite facing unjust execution, asked his family to not cry at his grave and to not pray and recite the Quran for him. We are here to fulfill Majid Reza’s last wish and “play joyful music.”
We come here today to pay homage to all victims of the 2022 Zahedan Massacre, including Khodanur Lojei, who was shot in kidney by police during the October 2, 2022, protest while outcrying the government’s systematic injustice against minorities.
We are gathered here today to pay our deepest respect to all heroic men and women imprisoned in Iran who have not bended their knees despite being constantly exposed to government’s pressure intended to break their willpower. We come here today for human rights activists and dissidents, such as, Narges Mohammadi and Farhad Meysami who continue to fight for the right cause even from behind the bars. We are here today for Amir Nasr-Azadani, an Iranian professional soccer player, who was forced into confession and was later sentenced to 16 years imprisonment through a sham joke trial completely devoid of due process. We are gathered for countless Nargeses, Farhads, and Amirs who are fearlessly resisting subjugation to the whim and caprice of Iran’s leaders.
We are here for a terrorized nation repressed by its government. Yes—We are here for women, for life, for freedom.
Date & Time:
Wednesday, March 8th, 2023
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Location:
Wescoe Beach
Legal Rights with Homayoon: When is the sniff up to snuff?
Are you interested in learning about your legal rights in the U.S.? Join us for an informative session with the federal attorney, Homayoon Rafatijo.
Session's subject: Brace for Impact—You May Be Compelled to a Warrantless Blood Draw
The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from “unreasonable” searches and seizures. On this account, an officer’s “reasonable suspicion” may justify a warrantless search, but even then the scope of any such search or the extent of any such seizure is limited. To conduct a more intrusive search typically requires a warrant issued upon “probable cause.” That said, officers with probable cause can still legally carry out “warrantless” searches and seizures in certain circumstances. Knowing those circumstances might save you from being subjected to warrantless searches, e.g., a blood draw!
Date & Time:
Friday, March 3rd, 2023
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Location:
Capitol Federal Hall, Room 2141 (PhD Large Conference Room)
Legal Rights with Homayoon: When is the sniff up to snuff?
Are you interested in learning about your legal rights in the U.S.? Join us for an informative session with the federal attorney, Homayoon Rafatijo.
Session's subject: A historical review of major Supreme Court’s decisions on people’s constitutional rights vis-a-vis law enforcement officers.
CentennialDate & Time:
Friday, February 24th, 2023
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, Centennial
Special Event: Movie Night + Info Session
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
Date & Time:
Friday, February 10th, 2023
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, Malott
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together.
Date & Time:
Friday, February 3rd, 2023
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Kansan Union, Alcove A
Movie Night: There Is No Evil
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
There Is No Evil (Persian: شیطان وجود ندارد, romanized: sheytân vojūd nadârad, lit. 'Satan Doesn't Exist') is a 2020 Persian-language drama film directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. Banned in Iran, the film relates four stories concerning the death penalty in Iran. It had its world premiere at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Golden Bear.
Date & Time:
Friday, January 27th, 2023
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location:
Kansan Union, English
Yalda Night 2022
Yalda is one of the most important nights in Iranian culture. On Yalda Night, families gather with their relatives and seniors to celebrate the longest night of the year, reading poems and eating nuts, pomegranates, and watermelon. Yalda symbolically celebrates the fact that even after the longest night and darkness of the year, there is hope for light and a better tomorrow and that we overcome the longest night of the year with our family connections and kindness.
Date & Time:
Friday, December 16th, 2022
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Location:
Burge Union, Forum A
Campus Rally for Iran
As it has been broadcasted for a long time, Iranian people are protesting for their basic rights. While doing so, many people in Iran have lost their lives brutally, and some others were arrested and have been threatened, including students in the universities. The Iranian community at KU believes we can gather together and show solidarity with those in Iran and support them.
Thank you, the University of Kansas, and Jayhawks for your continued support.
Date & Time:
Wednesday, November 30th, 2022
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location:
Rock Chalk Sports Complex
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together.
Date & Time:
Friday, November 18th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, Alcove D
World Expo
Visit our table at the World Expo!
Date & Time:
Friday, November 18th, 2022
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location:
Burge Union, Forum C & D
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball togather.
Date & Time:
Sunday, November 13th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Rock Chalk Sports Complex
Movie Night: House of Sand & Fog
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
House of Sand and Fog is a 2003 American psychological drama film directed by Vadim Perelman. The screenplay by Perelman and Shawn Lawrence Otto is based on the novel of the same name by Andre Dubus III.
The story concerns the battle between a young woman and an immigrant Iranian family over the ownership of a house in Northern California, which ultimately leads to the destruction of five lives. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Actor (Ben Kingsley), Best Supporting Actress (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and Best Original Score (James Horner).
Date & Time:
Friday, Novmber 11th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location:
Kansan Union, English
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball togather.
Date & Time:
Sunday, November 6th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
TBD
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together.
Date & Time:
Friday, November 4th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, Alcove F
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball togather.
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 30th
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Rock Chalk Pavillion
Movie Night: Hit the Road (Farsi)
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
Hit the Road (Persian: جاده خاکی, romanized: Jadde Khaki, lit. 'Dirt Road') is a 2021 Iranian road comedy-drama film written and directed by Panah Panahi in his feature debut. It depicts an Iranian family driving to the Turkish border to smuggle their young adult son out of the country. It premiered in the Directors' Fortnight sidebar at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, and won top prizes at the BFI London Film Festival and the Singapore International Film Festival.
Date & Time:
Friday, October 30th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, English
Women, Life, Freedom: A panel discussion on protests in Iran
Join us to learn more about the ongoing protests in Iran and one of the largest movements to support women's rights and human rights in human history.
Press release in KU Today
Moderators:
Professor Jackie Brinton (Religious Studies)
Professor Mike Wuthrich (Political Science and CGIS)
Sponsors:
Center for Global and International Studies
The Commons
Department of Religious Studies
Department of Political Science
International Affairs
International Support Services
KU Iranian Community Association
Middle East Studies
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Date & Time:
Wednesday, October 26th, 2022
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location:
Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball togather.
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 23rd
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Rock Chalk
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball togather.
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 16th
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Rec Center
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together. This is a bi-weekly event.
Date & Time:
Friday, November 21st, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, TBD
Fall 2022 Potluck
Join the Fall potluck to enjoy the warmth of our friendships before it's too cold outside to enjoy the sunshine.
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 16th
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location:
Lawrence Rotary Arboretum
Meeting: Planning the Nowruz Event
Are you interested in event planning? Would you like to help the board with coming up with the details of the Nowruz event and its budget? Join us to discuss the details.
Date & Time:
Saturday, October 15th
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, ALCOVE F
Movie Night: The President
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
The President is a film by Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf following the themes of his previous film, The Gardener. The inspiration for the film came when Makhmalbaf visited the Darul Aman Palace in Kabul. The Arab Spring revolutions were also inspirations.
A revolution is happening in a country with a dictatorial president. The president sends his family abroad, but his grandson wants to stay with his grandfather. In order to save their lives, they run away, and the president uses a wig and a guitar to disguise himself as a gypsy. They want to reach the sea so they can go to another country by boat. They must experience poverty and hunger during their journey and see the effects of the dictatorship on the country.
Date & Time:
Friday, October 14th, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, PINE
Hiking with KU-ICA
Do you like hiking? It's more fun together!
Date & Time:
Saturday, October 9th, 2022
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location:
Lawrence Rotary Arboretum
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together. This is a bi-weekly event.
Date & Time:
Friday, October 7th, 2022
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, ALCOVE F
Volleyball
Let's play volleyball togather.
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 2nd, 2022
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Rec Center, Outside Courts
Movie Night: Tooman (Farsi)
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
Tooman (Persian: تومان) is a 2020 Iranian drama film directed and written by Morteza Farshbaf. The film screened for the first time at the 38th Fajr Film Festival and earned four nominations, and received one award. Morteza Najafi won a Crystal Simorgh for Best Cinematography.
Date & Time:
Friday, September 30th, 2022
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Union, PINE
In Memory of Mahsa Amini
We gather in solidarity with Mahsa Amini and all the Iranian women who are discriminated against by strict hijab rules and police brutality in Iran.
Many thanks to Marzi, Yasi, and Alireza who prepared the performance. Also, a million thanks to all the people who showed up and supported Iranian women and human rights in Iran.
Date & Time:
Thursday, September 22nd, 2022
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Location:
Wescoe Beach
Fall 2022 Picnic & Kebob
Join us for the Fall 2022 Picnic to meet friends, have kebob, and have fun.
Date & Time:
Saturday, September 17th, 2022
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location:
Clinton Lake
Fall 2022 Info Session
Join us for the Fall 2022 Info Session to meet new friends, learn about KU-ICA, and have fun dancing to Farsi music.
Date & Time:
Thursday, September 15th, 2022
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location:
Forum A, Burge Union
Movie Night: The Apartment
Let's enjoy watching and discussing movies together.
The Apartment is a 1960 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David Lewis, Willard Waterman, David White, Hope Holiday and Edie Adams.
Date & Time:
Thursday, September 1st, 2022
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Location:
Kansas Memorial Union, International
From left: Masoud, Mahsa, Farzad, Marzi, Mohsen, Golnaz, Mehdi, Babak
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together. This is a bi-weekly event.
Date & Time:
Friday, August 26th, 2022
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Location:
Lawrence Rotary Arboretum
From left: Amirreza, Mohsen, Mehdi, Marzi, Golnaz & Mohsen, Marjan, Saeideh, Saha, Mahsa, Masoud
Right: Amirreza, Alireza, Golnaz, Marjan, Mohsen
Left: Mehdi, Marzi, Saeideh, Saha, Mahsa, Masoud
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together. This is a bi-weekly event.
Date & Time:
Friday, August 12th, 2022
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Mi Ranchito
707 W 23rd St, Lawrence, KS 66046
Left: Marzi Ashrafian, Amin Abbasi
Right: Mehdi Fadaei, Mohsen Fatemi, Amirreza Zarnaghsh
Left: Mehdi Fadaei, Marzi Ashrafian, Golnaz Khodashenas, Amin Abbasi, Amirreza Zarnaghsh, Marjan Sadeghi
Right: Alireza Mirzaeinejad, Mahsa Dehghan, Mohsen Fatemi, Neda Hejazi, Zahra Mansoursharif
After the poetry event, the group visited the Lawrence Arts Center Gallery and enjoyed paintings by Elena Masrour.
Mohammad Alian
KU-ICA attends the Fall 2022 International Student Orientation
Would like to get in touch with cool organizations to find friends and to learn about their programs? Show up at the fair and introduce yourself. The KU Iranian Community Association will also be there.
Date & Time:
Thursday, August 11th, 2022
Location:
Kansas Memorial Union, Big 12 Room
From top Left: Masoud, Amirreza, Alireza, Golnaz, Asma, Saeideh
Bottom: Mohsen
From right: Babak, Jahan, Amin, Alireza, Masoud, Mohsen, Golnaz, Alireza, Faezeh, Zahra, Saeideh
Summer 2022 Potluck
Join the summer potluck to cool off the warmth of the summer by hanging out with your cool friends.
Date & Time:
Friday, July 22, 2022
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Location:
Lawrence Rotary Arboretum
Bottom left: Masoud, Mahsa, Neda, Marjan, Golnaz, Leila, Marzi, Neda
Top left: Jahan, Amin, Mehdi, Majede, Amirreza, Mohsen, Alireza, Amin
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together. This is a bi-weekly event.
Date & Time:
Friday, July 8, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Music 240A, Seminar Room
Gorton Music & Dance Library
From left: Mohsen Fatemi, Amin Abbasi, Amirreza Zarnaghsh, Amin Enderami, Marzi Ashrafian, Mehdi Fadaei
From left: Amin Abbasi, Amirreza Zarnaghsh, Amin Enderami, Marzi Ashrafian, Mehdi Fadaei
Farsi Poetry & Literature
Are you interested in Farsi poetry and literature? Do you enjoy reading and discussing poems? Join us for a friendly gathering to enjoy reading poems together. This is a bi-weekly event.
Date & Time:
Friday, June 24, 2022
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location:
Music 240A, Seminar Room
Gorton Music & Dance Library
From left: Mohsen Fatemi, Golnaz Khodashenas, Neda Taheri, Alireza Mirzaeinejad, Amin Abbasi, Amirreza Zarnaghs.
From left: Golnaz Khodashenas, Neda Taheri, Alireza Mirzaeinejad, Amin Abbasi, Amirreza Zarnaghs.
Kick-off Meeting
Are you interested in serving in the KU-ICA? Do you have cool ideas for the organization? Please join us to develop plans for the 2022-2023 Academic Year.
Date & Time:
Friday, May 20th, 2022
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location:
Music 240A, Seminar Room
Gorton Music & Dance Library
From left: Alireza Bahadori, Amin Ezazi, Amirreza Zarnaghsh, Amin Mamandipoor, Amirhossein Madani, Golnaz Khkodashenas, Marjan Sadeghi, Zahra mansour Sharif, Vahid Rad, Mohsen Nayebi, Alireza Mirzaeinejad