About Us
We open a doorway to Persian culture and language for anyone who is interested.
BolBol School is a dynamic, independent, and non-profit organisation, politically and religiously neutral, where tradition meets the modern world. Our name comes from the bolbol, the Persian nightingale: the symbol of eloquent speech, forever paired with the rose in Persian literature.
We use artistic methods and brain-based pedagogical approaches to teach Farsi to children, teens, and adults across Switzerland. Read more about our philosophy or consult the statutes of the association (PDF, German and English).
Board
Fereshteh Bagherimiyab Hunkeler
Fereshteh holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from EPFL with postdoctoral research in Environmental Science. She founded Parsayan School in Zurich in 2018 and established BolBol School in 2021 to embrace the full breadth of Persian language and culture. She expanded BolBol School to Geneva in January 2026 and to Bern in September 2026, extending its educational programme to Persian-speaking families across Switzerland. She leads BolBol School's pedagogical development, curriculum design, and internal teacher training, ensuring a consistent, child-centred approach across all branches.
Leily Zarian
Leily is an Organizational Development Consultant with an Advanced Master's in Cognitive and Intercultural Psychology from the University of Geneva and ICF coaching certification. Her work focuses on bridging cultural gaps for transnational families.
Shahrooz Aziminia
Shahrooz holds a BA in Psychology and AMS Montessori certification, bringing more than twenty years of teaching experience and a deep grounding in child development research to BolBol's curriculum.
Teachers & Collaborators
Fereshteh
Originally from Mashhad with a background in computer science, Fereshteh found her calling working with children when she became a mother, and has been teaching with warmth and patience ever since.
Shahrzad
Shahrzad teaches dance in Zurich public schools and brings the Orff approach, learning music and movement through play, to BolBol's cultural programme.
Nemat
A singer and songwriter, Nemat combines his Waldorf teaching experience with the natural rhythm and melody of the Persian language.
Neda
Neda holds a Master's degree in Linguistics from Tehran University and has years of teaching experience in both Iran and Switzerland.
Hossein
A professional musician with two Master's degrees, Hossein is trained in classical Persian instruments and shares that tradition with the next generation.
Elika
Elika holds a PhD in Islamic Art with a focus on Iran and has lectured at the universities of Bern and Zurich since 2018.
Miranda
With a journalism diploma and studies in Psychology, Miranda brings extensive experience teaching Persian to learners of all ages.
Leila Jahangiri
With a background in Biology and Genetics, Leila is a multilingual educator with a gift for supporting diverse learners.
Reyhaneh
Reyhaneh holds an IT degree from Shiraz and focuses on mother-tongue development, helping children grow their Farsi and their connection to Persian culture.