Asia-Pacific
A little fire can inspire people at New Year's
By Mike Peters (China Daily/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-03-22 09:30
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Traditions and customs of Azerbaijan- Celebration of Novruz
Celebrated on the first day of Spring, "Novruz" is the favourite holiday in Azerbaijan, and remains a strong tradition also in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and in the newly independent Central Asian Republics including Kazakhstan. "Novruz" is the most ancient and cherished holiday of a New Year and spring. It is celebrated on the day of vernal equinox - March 21-22. It has a remarkable endurance and survival capacity, being of non Islamic origin it managed to retain its importance after the Arab conquest and in this century survived Soviet attempts to destroy it. Novruz is the symbol of nature renewal and fertility.
Novruz, i.e. 'new day', is a celebration of the spring Equinox. According to scholars, it originates from the Ancient Mesopotamia. Sumerians, 3000 BC, Babylonians 2000 BC, the ancient kingdom of Elam in Southern Persia 2000 BC, Akaddians all have been celebrating it in one form or another. In Babylon New Year was celebrated the 21st day of Nissanu (correspondent to March and April) with festivities held further 12 days, each commemorated with individual rites, amusements and performances. Novruz is certain to have been celebrated in pre-Islamic times and later. Originally, the holiday marked the first day of the calendar year; however, when Azerbaijan came under Soviet rule, New Year's Day was introduced as January 1st, a custom which continues to this day. During the Soviet period it was given unofficial status and even persecuted.
The General Assembly on February 18, 2010 recognized the International Day of Novruz. According to the preamble of the resolution on the International Day, Nowruz, which means new day, is celebrated on 21 March, the day of the vernal equinox, by more than 300 million people worldwide as the beginning of the new year. It has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions. The Assembly called on Member States that celebrate the festival to study its history and traditions with a view to disseminating that knowledge among the international community and organizing annual commemoration events.
