A lavish celebration heralding the arrival of the vernal equinox, Norooz — thePersian New Year, was held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner in mid-March.The gala netted approximately $85,000 for The Foundation for theChildren of Iran. The Foundation was started in the United States in 1991 by asmall group of Iranian immigrants to enable children from Iran or of Iranianorigin to receive needed health care in the United States. The activities for theFoundation are directed by its board of trustees: Princess Yasmine Pahlavi, Dr.Hossein Aliabadi and Ms. Nazie Eftekhari.