Today is International Nowroz Day

The International Nowroz day is being celebrated in Afghan capital Kabul with great festivity. A number of foreign dignitaries including the presidents of Tajikistan, Pakistan, Iran and high level delegations from various regional countries are participating in the event.

 The artists of Afghanistan and neighboring countries are presenting colourful programmes of songs and dance on this occasion depicting various facets of the rich regional culture. Delegations of Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan also participating in the International Nowroz festival. Security in Kabul have been tightened and roads leading to the venue of the festival have been closed for normal traffic.

A number of countries of West Asia and Central Asia including Iran, Turkey, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan as well as some East European countries celebrate Nowroz with great festivity for many days.

The United Nations General Assembly at the initiative of several countries celebrating this festival, passed a resolution in 2010 to proclaim it as International Nowroz day. The festival has been described by the UN as a cultural heritage of humanity.

Nowruz is the name of the Iranian New Year in the Solar Hijri calendar. Nowruz is also referred to as the Persian New Year. Nowruz marks the first day of spring or Equinox  as and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical Northward equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. The moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and families gather together to observe the rituals.