Every year Iranians celebrate the longest night of the year named Shabe Yalda (Yalda Night). Yalda originally means “Birth” and it was an old belief that during this night The Darkness will die and The Day will give birth again. Yalda is a traditional Iranian festival which occurs on the eve of the Winter Solstice.

Astronomical Society of Iran, Amateur Committee is going to celebrate Shabe Yalda by organizing an astronomical gathering on 20th of December. The gathering will be a Welcome Ceremony for International Year of Astronomy 2009 in Iran too.

SkyPeace NGO is the financial sponsor of the Welcome Ceremony; and StarPeace Project will be introduced and presented to Iranian astronomers officially during the ceremony.

On the Welcome Ceremony three main lectures will be hold about Yalda origin and changing seasons’ ceremonies, Yalda traditions in ancient Iran and the history of astronomy from Galileo to present by Astronomical Society of Iran, Amateur Committee.

StarPeace Project is organized by SkyPeace non-profit non-governmental organization and Astronomical Society of Iran which is Iran's node of IYA2009.