Renowned singer and master of classical music, the late Mohammad-Reza Shajarian (1940-2020) was the first artist to perform, Ey Saraye Omid.” Amir Houshang Ebtehaj lived in Cologne, Germany, for the latter part of his life. “I was forced to leave,” he said in an interview. “One of my children moved to Germany first. Then my wife left for Germany, to be with our child. All my other children moved there afterward. I was banned from traveling abroad but ultimately could leave.”