With Iran in the headlines almost daily, Joe Whitehouse’s insights into that historically rich nation couldn’t be more timely. His photographs and commentary will highlight the Feb. 6 First Friday Forum at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church.
World traveler and photographer Joe Whitehouse will headline the First Friday Forum on Friday, Feb. 6 at 1:30 p.m., with a presentation titled “Iran: Today and Yesterday.”
Known for his visually stunning and well-attended talks, Whitehouse will share photographs from his travels in Iran and offer insight into the country’s culture, history and architecture, along with observations on its political and economic landscape.
There is much to learn about Iran’s historical significance as one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, from the Achaemenid Empire through successive Persian empires, the Islamic conquest and modern nationhood.
Whitehouse will highlight important Persian innovations, including wind towers for cooling and a 2,000-year-old municipal water system in Yazd. Finally, contrary to Western perception, you will learn that Iranians are very hospitable to visitors.
He will cover sites such as Persepolis, which was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, Naqsh-e Jahan Square, which is one of the world’s largest public squares, the Zoroastrian Fire Temple and Towers of Silence in Yazd, public art in Isfahan, a 17th century Armenian church, a bath house in Mashhad, several classic Persian gardens and Iran’s spectacular mosques and shrines.
Whitehouse has visited 157 countries and believes his travel bug began when boarding a train at age 11 to visit a relative and traveling by bus to visit a friend at a young age.
“I first traveled to Europe in 1969. While in the Air Force in 1970-72 on Okinawa, I traveled to Asia including Burma, which had recently opened to tourists,” said Whitehouse, who teaches travel planning quarterly at Piedmont High School.
This program is open to the community and is sponsored by the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church (LOPC). It is available on campus at 49 Knox Drive in Lafayette and will be live streamed. Registration is not required. To attend online, click “Watch” on the First Friday Forum website: lopc.org/first-friday-forum. A recording will be posted on the same page. Any questions, email fff@lopc.org.
Contributing Writer Mike Rusk can be reached at mikerusk@comcast.net.
