Nowruz

(multinational file with Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iraq, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan)

 

Nevruz is widely celebrated in countries in the northern hemisphere, especially among Turkish and Persian speaking communities. Nevruz, which comes from the Persian words nev and ruz , means "new day" and is known as the spring festival. The start date of Nowruz is 21 March according to the Gregorian calendar.

 

Nevruz, which is accepted as the beginning of the animal husbandry of the nomadic communities and the farming activities of the agricultural societies, creates a suitable environment where information about nature and the universe is used and many practices are carried out. These practices, which are carried out with the belief of living in abundance and abundance, also strengthens social unity and increases the sense of belonging between individuals and societies.

 

Nowruz Festival and its celebrations; It constitutes one of the most suitable environments in which word culture, social practices and rituals , knowledge and experiences about nature and the universe are transferred from generation to generation in Anatolia. From this point of view, Nevruz is one of the best examples of intergenerational communication.

 

As in all holidays, cleanliness has a special place and importance in Nowruz Feast. Before Nowruz, a general cleaning is done in houses and streets. During the celebrations, people take care to wear clean or new clothes. Decorating the Nowruz celebration area like a riot of colors, wearing colorful clothes, flying kites, clinking eggs of various colors, people gathering around a big fire and jumping over it are among the characteristic features of Nowruz celebrations.

 

Nevruz was registered in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 with the joint application of Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. The registration of Nowruz in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a joint file in 2009 has made a very positive contribution to the efforts to develop an environment of cultural dialogue, respect and understanding among societies that speak different languages, believe in different religions and come from different ethnic origins.

 

Addis, the capital of Ethiopia, in November 2016 With the decision taken at the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Intergovernmental Committee Meeting held in Ababa , “Nowruz” was registered on the Representative List as a 12-country multinational file.

 

Source: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Research and Education