A 29-foot bronze statue of Cyrus the Great has been installed in Atlanta’s Pardis Park. The bronze figure weighs about 8,000 pounds, not including its stone base, which copies the shape of his tomb in Iran. A free festival celebrating Persian culture will mark the statue’s formal unveiling.
Cyrus founded the Persian Empire roughly 2,500 years ago and is remembered for his tolerance toward different peoples and religions. He freed Jewish people who were held captive in Babylon and allowed them to return home to rebuild their temple. Rostam Zafari, who led the effort to bring the statue to Atlanta, connects that legacy with the city’s association with Martin Luther King Jr. He wants the monument to communicate freedom, peace, and respect between people.
Created by Atlanta artist Stan Mullins, the statue required several years of work and involved more than 40 people. Raising enough money remained a challenge throughout the project. Zafari dedicated it to his grandparents. He is also a co-founder of Nimruz, a nonprofit organization that brings Iranians from different backgrounds together to celebrate their culture and share it with their neighbors.
