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.