In its inaugural year, the first “Mehr Festival” took place from October 3rd to 11th, 2024 (Mehr 12th to 20th, 1403) hosted in Mehromah arthouse and cafe, bringing together artists and audiences to celebrate Iranian regional music, photography, short films, theater, and poetry. The festival also featured an Iranian food festival, art exhibition, and a range of diverse programs, creating a vibrant showcase of Iran’s rich cultural heritage.
Although we are far from home, our homeland lives within us. We may have left in appearance, but it has not left us. It feels as though a part of its soil fills the pot of our being, so wherever we sit in the world, we are still rooted in its ground, carrying it with us wherever we go.
Countless times, history has torn us apart, scattering us into a thousand distant pieces, but love has always been our salvation love for our homeland, for history, for our fellow countrymen, for prosperity, and for freedom. As children of the land of love, we honor our thousands year old heritage by celebrating Mehregan and raising the banner of this ancient culture and art with the dedicated efforts of its worthy people
Hila Sedighi
Festival Founder
Hila Sedighi (b. 1985, Tehran) is an acclaimed Iranian poet, painter, cultural curator, and human rights activist. She began publishing poetry as a teenager and soon became recognized for her lyrical, socially conscious voice. Alongside her literary career, she pursued law and co-founded several cultural NGOs in Iran, earning the Hellman/Hammett Award from Human Rights Watch (2012) for her advocacy work
In 2012, Hila relocated to Dubai, where she founded Mehromah Arthouse…
