“May Nowruz indeed usher for the world a new day.”

What doesn’t work throughout the year is possible for one day: every year, on 21 March the fragmented Iranian nation unites. Male and female, young and old, ethnic Iranians, Kurds and Azeris among others celebrate the ancient festivities of Nowruz.

This festival marks the beginning of the solar year as well as that of the New Year on the Iranian national calendar. Now, we have entered into the year 1394.

(Source: irantraders.net)

People inside and outside the country come together with their family and friends and gather around the table, which is set with special treats: delicacies for offering to guests to eat, such as baklava and other Persian sweets and some things, which hold symbolic meaning, such as garlic (symbolising health) or apples (symbolising beauty and love).

As President Rouhani put it in his new year message, Nowruz is an “ancient heritage” that Iran and the regional states share in their culture. Beside the Islamic Republic, people in Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan also celebrate it.

Nowruz gives a great opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship and shape a bright future with cooperation among those nations, Mr Rouhani noted.

But not only with the neighbouring countries, Iran must also improve the ties among its own communities, with the help of the commonalities. As the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, stressed in his message on 21 March, “The annual observance of Nowruz is a wonderful opportunity for people to join together to celebrate cultural diversity, dialogue and mutual respect. It is a moment of unity and solidarity, within and among societies, that is all the more important at times of strife and division.”

In 2010, the UN General Assembly established the 21th March as the International Day of Nowruz.

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