The Persian Cultural Center (PCC) is a non-political, non-religious, and non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, established in 1989, in San Diego, California.

Mission

PCC, known in the community as “Kanoon”, seeks to preserve, promote, and celebrate Iran’s ethnically diverse and historically rich culture through education, and the medium of performing, literary and visual arts. In this way, the organization creates a sense of identity in future generations of Iranian Americans, builds community, and furthers cross-cultural understanding.

Services to the Community

As a means of facilitating its mission, PCC has formed the following affiliated entities:

• The Iranian School of San Diego (ISSD). ISSD was established in 1988 and offers language, music, and acting classes to both children and adults. ISSD has over 300 students and has gained foreign language accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and local school districts. ISSD is one of the most successful heritage-language schools outside of Iran.

• The Persian Dance Academy. The Academy provides instruction to children and adults in a variety of Iranian national and folkloric dances.

• PCC’s Charity Committee. The Committee raises funds for humanitarian causes such as families and individuals facing financial or medical crises in our community.

• Peyk magazine. Peyk is a bilingual, bimonthly publication, containing culturally topical articles and community information. It is professionally published with a circulation of 5000. Since 2018, Peyk has been available online to readers around the world: peykmagazine.com.

• The Iranian American Center (IAC or “Markaz” in Persian). IAC was purchased through community funds raised by PCC and operates under PCC’s stewardship. The Center houses PCC’s office, a library, a conference room, an art gallery, a performance stage for concerts and plays, and a multipurpose room. IAC has become an active community center, providing regular game nights and offering classes in music, art, dance, and Yoga. IAC also hosts lectures, movie screenings, and community events.

All PCC board members volunteer their time and resources without any form of compensation.

Achievements and Collaborations

PCC’s core activities are multifaceted and draw diverse patronage, extending far beyond San Diego. We seek and welcome all members of the community and visitors to the City to enjoy and participate in our events and presentations. To this end, our programs/events are non-partisan and secular, with artistic and cultural value being the ultimate benchmarks. PCC has built strong collaborative partnerships with other non-profits, routinely co-sponsoring programs with the prestigious San Diego Museum of Art, Mingei International Museum, Museum of Man, the Pacific Arts Movement, Digital Gym, Iranian American Bar Association, the Dollar A Month Fund, Iranian-American Scholarship Fund, Balboa Park’s House of Iran, the Association of Iranian American Professionals, the Iranian Students Association at UCSD, and, the San Diego Central Library.

PCC’s funding relies on its membership dues, grants, fundraising, events, gifts, and donations. All contributions are tax-deductible.