The “Yalda Night” Celebration was held at the Persian Language Teaching Center on Monday, December 23, with the presence of the department’s head, Dr. Shahla Sharifi, the instructors, and Persian learners from various countries. At the beginning of the ceremony, the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran was followed by the Iran’s national anthem; Then, Dr. Shahla Sharifi welcomed the attendees and congratulated them on the occasion of Yalda. She spoke about the antiquity of Yalda Night in Iranian culture and the traditions associated with it. Regarding the naming of this night as "Shab-e Chelleh" (the fortieth night), she explained that in the past, the number forty has held a kind of sacred significance for Iranian people and seemingly the number forty has been the basis for counting time periods. Terms such as "Small fortieth," "Big fortieth," and "fortieth Gathering" confirm this. Later, the Syriac word "Yalda" became commonly used among Iranians for this night. The head of the Persian Language Teaching Center, highlighted the importance of Yalda gatherings among our ancestors, attributing it to their wisdom. She pointed out that familial and emotional bonds are among the deficiencies of modern human life today. She also emphasized the importance of respecting ancestral traditions and maintaining connections with the past, as these can help individuals find their path. Forgetting the past, she warned, could lead to losing oneself in the modern world. Dr. Sharifi stated that creating joyful moments for Persian learners and preserving and promoting ancient traditions were the objectives of the event. Some other programs were also held during this ceremony like reading some poems from Hafez's Divan, fortune-telling or foreseeing through Hafez's poetry, an exciting competition among the learners, and a beautiful musical performance by some young university students. At the end of the event, Persian learners and instructors took commemorative photos around the Yalda table.