Nowruz: Persian New Year

Nowruz

Nowruz, also spelled as Norouz, Navruz, or Nawruz, is the Persian New Year and the traditional Iranian holiday that marks the beginning of spring. It is celebrated on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20th or 21st, and lasts for 13 days.

Nowruz has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East, and it is considered the most important holiday in many of these regions.

The celebrations typically involve family gatherings, feasts, and the exchange of gifts. People also decorate their homes with flowers, especially hyacinths and tulips, and set up a table with seven items that start with the Persian letter "sin", each of which symbolizes a different aspect of life, such as health, wealth, and happiness.

Nowruz is a UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage and has been celebrated by people of many different religions and ethnicities, including Iranians, Kurds, Tajiks, Afghans, Azerbaijanis, and Zoroastrians.