Tel: (202) 619-2538
Fax: (202) 619-1241
E-mail: pubaff@ibb.gov

Washington, D.C., March 16, 2000 – VOA’s Farsi Service celebrates Nowrooz, the Iranian New Year, with a two-hour special edition of the popular television and radio simulcast “Round Table with You.”  On Friday, March 17, the show will air from 18:00 to 19:00 UTC (1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EST) from VOA’s Washington studios.  The call-in program’s Farsi-speaking listeners and viewers from Iran will interact with guests through questions and comments.  The program is also available on the VOA Farsi web site at www.voa.gov/farsi.

Among the show’s five guests will be a young man named Babak who will appear on Friday’s show to express his appreciation for the Farsi Service’s efforts to help cure his deteriorating bone disease.  During last year’s Nowrooz special, Babak phoned from Ahvaz, Iran, and played a piece of music over the phone, accompanied by his father.  After the show, Babak called back to tell VOA about his battle against bone disease. The VOA Farsi medical correspondent contacted some Iranian medical specialists in Los Angeles.  The physicians agreed to treat Babak free of charge.  A report on Babak’s story in an L.A.-based Farsi-language magazine mobilized support from the Iranian-American community.  Funds were raised and three months later, Babak arrived in Los Angeles to begin treatment.  On Friday, Babak will be able to walk into VOA’s studios on his own.

Other guests will be Mahaan Isfahani, a young man who was captain of his high school’s team on the Washington area quiz program “It’s Academic.”  In addition, Shahriar Saleh, a master of the santur (a traditional Iranian instrument) and who is performing at the Kennedy Center later this month, will be on the program.  Ovissi, a prominent, Iranian painter, and Mansour, a young pop singer and second-generation Iranian-American will also be on the show.

Taped video footage will also be interspersed throughout the two hour program including a piece on the traditional Iranian “Charsanbeh Souri” ceremony.

VOA’s Farsi Service, which was recently being jammed by the Iranian Government, broadcasts 3½ hours of news, information, and cultural programming each day via radio, TV and the Internet.

The Voice of America broadcasts world, regional, and U.S. news in 53 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 91 million people

Contact: George Mackenzie
Phone: 202-619-2538
E-mail: pubaff@voa.gov