[IN PERSIAN BELOW]

Abadan, Iran is special. Across the world, thousands cherish memories of life in what was once a cosmopolitan beacon of modernity in the Middle East, longing for the places, spaces and faces of the city. And yet, Abadan is today a city largely forgotten by the world.

Let us reintroduce Abadan to the world by documenting its fascinating history; bringing its past to life through pictures, essays, videos and art; letting scholars share their knowledge; and letting everyone share their memories and experiences.

Let Abadan be retold so that future generations can draw from the lessons of the city, understand the historical processes it embodies and envision a peaceful future where Abadanis, whether Iranian or non-Iranian, whether in Abadan or abroad, can come together and recreate the magic of the oil city for all to experience and learn from.

Abadan:Retold is an innovative, multi-media social history project invented and managed by me, Rasmus Christian Elling (PhD). I am a Professor of Iranian Studies at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, fluent in Persian and have lived in Iran. As a scholar of modern Iran and urban studies, I came across Abadan through my research in 2011, and since, I have explored the city’s history through oil company and state archives, newspapers, diplomatic reports, novels and biographies, as well as through fieldwork and interviews in Abadan. To understand why I am so fascinated by Abadan, please read my essays here.

A crucial part of the Abadan Retold project is an online portal (www.abadan.wiki) with multiple functions:

- The AbadanMap: a multi-layered interactive map based on GIS data, human data and historical information, drawing on a broad range of maps from open sources and from historical archives;

- Encyclopaedia Abadanica: an archive of research-based articles by excellent scholars on all aspects of Abadan’s history, from ancient times to present-day, as well as on Abadani popular culture;

- MemoryLine: a user-driven history wiki – an open platform on which everyone can share memories and knowledge through comments, essays, interviews and pictures, and where you can discover new faces or re-connect with old friends.

Abadan:Retold is part of a larger research project on documenting the history of Abadan in a global context, for which I have already received a grant of 13,000 USD from the Danish Arthur Christensen Foundation. Now I need a further 10,000 USD to make the public part of the project come true.

I am handpicking a team of excellent scholars around the world to conduct research and write articles; a geographer and a GIS expert to create the maps; a web designer to create a well-functioning portal; and artists to make beautiful pieces of collage art that can bring Abadan to life. My plan is that the framework we develop for Abadan:Retold be made available open source to the public so that other cities can use it too.

The initial grant covers research in archives in the UK, the US, Switzerland and Iran; one lecture and a seminar on Abadan's history (in Denmark and the US); basic cost of website design; and a contribution to the publication of a coffee table book.

The final 10,000 USD that I hope to raise now is to finance the following:

• Remuneration for scholars writing articles (approx. 15 articles): USD 3,000
• Design of wiki database and maps (including technical equipment, re-scanning of original sources etc.): USD 4,000
• Design of artwork for website and for perks: USD 3,000

The funds raised here will go directly to a project account in University of Copenhagen.

In the second stage of the project, I am designing a beautiful coffee table book with high-resolution pictures, fold-out maps, artwork and essays on Abadan; and preparing an exhibition that will hopefully travel around Europe, the US and Iran. More details will be published soon.

For now, I hope that you will support with a donation and share this appeal with your networks so that we together can let Abadan be retold!

آبادان، ایران شهر خاصی است. در سراسر جهان، هزاران نفر با خاطره این شهر که زمانی پیشرو تجدد در خاورمیانه بود زندگی می کنند و در خاطرات خود، به محله ها، جاها، و تصاویرش فکر می کنند. از طرفی اما، آبادان امروز شهری است که گویی جهان فراموشش کرده