Association of the Friends of Persian Culture
Thirty-Sixth Annual Conference
September 3 - September 6, 2026
Dear Friends,
In about two months, the 36th annual conference of the Association of the Friends of Persian Culture will be held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, through Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, IL. The general theme of the conference is “Glimpses of Persian Culture”, with a discourse theme of “Building a Culture of Unity”.
We are honored to present a distinguished lineup of speakers, including:
Muin Afnani, Mahasti Afshar, Payam Akhavan, Abbas Amanat, Hossain Amanat, Arash Arjomandi, Pegah Bani Hashemi, Farah Dustdar, Maryam Farshadfar, Hossain Ghazian, Abbas Milani, Austin O'Malley, Vahid Rafati, Behrooz Sabet, Farhad Sabetan, Farzaneh Sabetan, and Neda Towfiq.
An evening program to honor Bahram Beyzaie will feature a talk by Abbas Milani, along with a performance by Mojdeh Shamsaei.
Other features of the evening programs of the conference will include “Fountain of Eternity – Journey of Rumi” and “Leyli o Majnun,” composed by Ehsan Matoori, featuring vocal performances by Roxana Sarrafi and Tamir Hargana, contemporary dance by Miriam Peretz. Artistic performances will also be presented by Ruhan Parsa and Nima Hafezi, Zawash Shadmehr, Safa Shahidi and Bahar Movahed, and Nima Naraghi, Mandana Zandian, and Sara Louie.
Children and Junior Youth Programs
We warmly invite children ages 3–10 and teens ages 11–14 to explore the rich heritage and spiritual contributions of the Peraian culture through storytelling, arts and music workshops, while discovering how these contributions guide us toward unity and peace.
A children and junior youth program focused on theater, music, storytelling, dance, and visual arts will be offered in this conference by a group of educators, artists and animators. Participants will prepare Persian and English poetry, and choral pieces for a conference performance, with a Zoom orientation and one or two rehearsals in coming weeks. Space is limited and early responses are encouraged. If you are attending the conference and wish for your child or junior youth to participate, please contact us for additional information:
childrenstheatercompany@gmail.com , Phone: (212) 633-6629
Please note that the conference does not offer programs for children under 3 years of age.
Youth Programs
Engaging programs are being prepared specifically for youth, including talks on Persian arts and literature, a shadow theater workshop, and spaces for friendship and collaboration (networking).
General Room Reservation
A list of available hotels with special conference rates can be located under “Conference - Accommodation” on our website.
www.fopca.com/Accommodation
General Conference Registration
To register, please visit: www.fopca.com/Registration
For further assistance, you may reach us at:
Email: friendsofpersianculture@fopca.com
Phone: (224) 536-9528
Phone: (847) 853-7895
Please note that we accept all major credit cards except American Express.
Conference Programs
The primary conference programs are presented in Persian, and simultaneous English translation will be available. For updates on the conference, you may also visit the Association’s website:
www.fopca.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/associationofthefriendsofpersianculture
Talent Shows
Talent shows will be held on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Those interested in participating are kindly asked to contact Sheedeh Mahboobipoor at the registration desk upon arrival at the conference venue. A piano will be available, but we kindly request that performers bring any other instruments they may need with them.
For further assistance, you may reach us at:
Email: friendsofpersianculture@fopca.com
We look forward to welcoming you at the 2026 conference..
With warmest regards,
Board of Directors, Association of the Friends of Persian Culture