Karaj: City of Contradictions

Alborz – Karaj is a city where, amid the contradictions of past and present (development and identity, migration and nativeness, nature and construction), it needs a shared narrative of itself more than ever.

Arjan Ambassador of the Provinces Group - Hamidreza Abdul Manafi: Karaj can perhaps be considered one of the most different cities in Iran; A city where past and present, nature and development, old neighborhoods and new constructions, and different cultures are side by side. These differences have turned Karaj into a city with a multi-layered identity; A city that cannot be known without paying attention to all these layers.

If we pass through the streets of Karaj today, we might see a part of the city's past among the buildings, shops and daily traffic. But behind these streets, there are neighborhoods and buildings, each of which has kept a part of the memory of Karaj.

The main issue is not that Karaj has changed; Change is a natural part of life in any city. The issue is how to preserve a part of the city's past and identity along with development and change and pass it on to future generations.

past and present; Two faces of one city

Karaj today is very different from Karaj that existed a few decades ago. The population has increased, the neighborhoods have expanded, the surrounding villages have been included in the urban structure, and the face of the city has changed.

In these changes, some of the citizens' memories have also become worth recording; From old photos and early schools to memories of neighborhoods, gardens, markets, jobs and figures who have contributed to the formation of social life in Karaj.

Recording these things does not mean stopping the city in the past; On the contrary, knowing the past can help make better decisions for the future.

One of the feasible proposals can be the creation of a digital archive of the history and identity of Karaj.

In the first year, we can aim to collect and record at least a thousand photos, documents and historical narratives from different neighborhoods of Karaj. Information such as photo date, place of registration, name of the work's owner and source should be placed next to each document so that this archive can be used for research and education in the future.

Karaj municipality can provide the infrastructure of this archive and universities, cultural centers, schools and media can participate in collecting and validating the content.

Karaj is not just a few well-known streets and squares. Each neighborhood has a part of the city's history.

Another suggestion could be the implementation of the project "Each neighborhood, a narrative"; A plan to record the history of neighborhoods with the help of old residents, schools, universities and cultural centers.

In the first stage, you can choose 20 neighborhoods and prepare a file for each of them, including old photos, the history of the neighborhood, conversations with old residents, and the introduction of its important buildings and elements.

These files can be made available to people in the form of books, short documentaries, digital content or urban signs.

Schools are one of the important capacities for transmitting these narratives.

Alborz Education can implement the project "Each school, a story from the neighborhood" on a trial basis in 20 schools. Each school can collect at least 10 old photos, three oral histories and one report about the history of their neighborhood.

At the end of the first year, the same project can produce at least 200 photos, 60 oral narratives and 20 neighborhood files.

In addition to teaching local history to students, such work also strengthens the connection between the old and new generations of the city.

The schools themselves are a part of the history of Karaj. Many citizens have started their first social memories from school and teacher.

Setting up the Karaj Education History Museum in one of the old schools of the city can be another lasting measure. For the first year, it is possible to register at least 500 photos, documents and objects related to the history of Karaj education and create a permanent exhibition.

Such a museum can be an educational destination for students in addition to citizens.

University; From studying the city to contributing to its future

Karaj and Alborz universities also have a significant capacity to study urban identity.

Every year, several practical research projects can be defined about the history of neighborhoods, remaining gardens, villages connected to the city, migration, social changes and cultural developments in Karaj.

If the results of these researches do not remain only in the university library and are available to city managers, schools and citizens, university research can directly help to better know the city.

media; The narrator of all the faces of Karaj

In the cultural days of Karaj, it is natural for the media to cover the programs, meetings and speeches of the managers. But the capacity of the media can go beyond the reflection of events.

The media can go to parts of the city that are less seen; Interview old residents, post old photos, report on neighborhood history, and ask officials about specific cultural programs.

For example, during Karaj cultural week, you can follow a certain topic every day; One day the history of a neighborhood, another day an old building, another day the memories of an old citizen and next to that, the program of the responsible body to preserve and introduce this heritage.

In this view, the media is not the only publisher of news; Rather, it is one of the tools of recording urban memory and creating a dialogue about the future of the city.

Contradictions can become identities

Karaj is the city of contradictions; But these contradictions are not necessarily a weakness.

The coexistence of mountains and plains, gardens and buildings, old neighborhood and new city, different cultures and different generations are part of today's Karaj reality.

The issue is to be able to recognize these differences, record them and create a common narrative for them.

Karaj Day can be the starting point of such a path; A path in which cultural heritage, urban management, education, universities, cultural centers and media each have a specific contribution.

If every year on the 20th of Mehr we can document some neighborhoods, record some of the photos and memories of the citizens, conduct some practical research and produce new narratives of Karaj, this occasion will go beyond a day in the calendar.

Karaj; The city is of contradictions, but these contradictions can create the unique narrative of this city; A narrative that preserves the past, knows the present, and leaves something for the future for the next generation.