Nowruz – meaning “new day” – is an ancient festival celebrating the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

More than 300 million people celebrate the Persian New Year, which has been observed for more than 3,000 years in different regions, including the Balkans, the Black Sea basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Nowruz is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually takes place on March 21.

The festival that lasts 13 days is rooted in Zoroastrianism, a religion practised in ancient Persia that predates Christianity and Islam.

It is listed as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In 2021, the UN General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as International Nowruz Day.

Given its origins, the festival is marked in countries with significant Persian cultural influence, including  Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.