His Excellency, Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura

Director-General

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Paris , France

February 1 5 ^th , 2008

Dear sir,

RE: Proposing to recognize October 29 ^th as the International Day of Cyrus the Great

As you might be aware, during the last 3 years, International Committee to Save Pasargad has proposed that Iranians residing all over the world would celebrate October 29 ^th as Cyrus the Great Day. This is the day in 539 BC when Cyrus entered Babylon and announced his well-known Declaration of Human Rights, recognized by the UN as the first document of the human history that recognizes such rights for all the subjects of the Persian Empire .

Four years ago, Cyrus’s mausoleum and its peripheral sites were registered as parts of human heritage by UNESCO and were recognize as a human sacred shrine. This was an action that went beyond a greatness of a historical site and emphasized on the personality of an exemplary historical figure who had introduced the notion of human rights so early in the history of mankind.

In October 29, 2007 , Mr. Kourosh Zaim, the head of Research Department of Pasargad Heritage Foundation, at a ceremony front of Cyrus’s mausoleum in Pasargad, proposed that the same should be recognized as the Iran’s National Day. This suggestion was well received by all those who have greatest esteem for the cultural and historical heritages of human race. It emphasizes on a day when a new era was initiated not only in the history of Iran but in the annals of human life.

We think that UNESCO, by recognizing this annual event as an international day, would provide a strong vehicle of focusing the attention of people of the world to the roots and importance of Human Rights.

Upon the above premises, we, hereby, apply for the recognition of October 29 as the International Day of Cyrus the Great.

With utmost regards

Shokooh Mirzadegi

Executive Director

kourosh zaim

Head of PHF’s Research Department