Iranians Celebrate Nowruz
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The new Iranian year began on Sunday morning, coincident with the Spring Equinox, with Iranians celebrating Nowruz, the first day of spring and the oldest festival in the Persian calendar.
The Iranian families inside and outside the country gathered together to see in the new year with the ancient festivities of Nowruz.
From time immemorial, Iranians from all walks of life enthusiastically celebrate Nowruz, irrespective of their age, language, gender, race, ethnicity, or social status.
The word Nowruz itself literally means "new day" in the Persian language and the festivity marks the beginning of the solar year as well as the new year on the Iranian national calendars, and has fallen on March 20 this year.
Traditions in Nowruz include cleaning the home, making special foods, and preparing seven symbolic things known as the 'Haft Seen'. These all begin with the letter 'S' (or letter 'Seen' in Persian). The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. The Haft Seen has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism.
The festivities marking Nowruz is also spreading across the world.
In 2010, the UN General Assembly established March 21 as the International Day of Nowruz. The UN also celebrates the International Day of Happiness.
The international Nowruz Day was proclaimed at the initiative of several countries that share this holiday, including Iran, Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.
