ECO Cultural Institute held the celebration of “Nowruz, an Occasion for Solidarity” on Wednesday evening, March 18, 2021 to mark the arrival of spring and to promote solidarity and friendship among the peoples of the ECO region.
According to the ECO Cultural Institute, in the international event held in ECI with the presence of Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel, President of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Ambassadors of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and a group of ambassadors and diplomats from other countries, Sarvar Bakhti, the President of the ECO Cultural Institute, in his welcoming speech addressed the participants and said: “The emergence of Nowruz has always been tied with traditions and one thing that is common is that Nowruz is a symbol for great change and the victory of light over darkness.”
The ECI president continued by reading verses from the Shahnameh by the great Iranian epic poet Ferdowsi and stated: “Shahnameh credits the foundation of Nowruz in the best way.”
He said: “Nowruz is a symbol of joy, happiness and purity, in which families and friends come together to share happiness and to throw away sorrow. Before Nowruz they clean their homes and wash away the suffering of the past along with this ancient tradition.”
The president of ECO Cultural Institute said: “Nowruz is the spiritual connection point of the people, which is celebrated in different ways across the world and people share congratulatory message of happy wishes. Nowruz is placed in the hearts and minds of the people because of the messages of friendship, tolerance and affection, and it has been celebrated for thousands of years.”
The president of ECO Cultural Institute called Nowruz the resurrection of nature and the return of spring and said: “ECO Cultural Institute, despite the obstacles posed by the Coronavirus, used all available capacities to celebrate “Nowruz, an Occasion for Solidarity”, as an opportunity to gather again on the eve of this blessed celebration.
Bakhti said: “We hope that sickness and troubles stay behind in the past year and in the solar New Year the sun of hope and joy, purity and kindness shine in the sky of our region and peace and tranquility rule the earth.”
Bakhti added: “On the eve of Nowruz, ECO Cultural Institute published the ECO Heritage special issue in English with the content mostly produced by young scientists in the region, with an aim to pass on the glorious cultural values to future generations. Today the Institute has displayed Nowruz table of ECO countries along with an impressive handicrafts exhibition and photo exhibition of ceremonies and traditions Nowruz.”
In the end, he wished health, tranquility, happiness, and well-being for all the people of Nowruz region.
Abdul Ghafoor Liwal, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, also recited excerpts from the poem “Mullah Mohammadjan” and thanked the ECO Cultural Institute for celebrating Nowruz and holding a ceremony in accordance with health protocols.
Referring to the spring flowers growing in the plains of Afghanistan and the arrival of spring, he said: “On behalf of the Afghan people, I congratulate the government and the embassy on Eid of the nature, the renewal of trees, flowers, Nowruz and the joy of the people. I hope peace will prevail in Afghanistan, the region and the world. I hope the disease eradicate and in the coming years and the following Nowruz be celebrated in all ECO cities from Kabul, Kandahar, Lahore, Tashkent, Dushanbe, Tehran and all other cities in peace and tranquility, let us be together and this institution establish Nowruz festival in all cities and this celebration of solidarity will always last.
Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel congratulated the Nowruz celebrations and said: “Nowruz is a change of century this year and will be repeated one hundred more to go to another century.”
The president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature thanked the president of the ECO Cultural Institute and said: “The ECI president is from Tajikistan and the people of Tajikistan like many people in the region are deeply familiar with common cultural values and ancient traditions as well as personalities like Ferdowsi and Roudaki.”
Haddad Adel, stating that Nowruz is our eternal and universal celebration and belongs to all our nations, said: “Nowruz is a celebration that belongs to all people. For everyone it is pleasant to celebrate the beginning of spring and rebirth of nature.” Nowruz is a heavenly occasion. The sun passes through the vernal equinox and the heavens determine Nowruz. Nowruz is not subject to the decision of the people and is beyond the earthly differences.
He said: “Maybe we have differences and diversity of tastes in customs and language and religion in politics, but there is no difference in spring equinox. Nowruz is based in the sky so that the disputed hand of man does not reach there.”
Haddad Adel said: “Nowruz is the beginning of spring and the beginning of the growth and revival of nature, Iranians have long considered Nowruz to be the beginning of a new year and established the solar year and the most accurate calendar in the world was recorded as the Jalali calendar.”
The president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature said: “Nowruz is full of memories, myths and customs of all nations of the region; Nowruz rituals are a common table for all of us, which all the nations of the region are sitting around it.”
He said: “Whereas some powerful countries are seeking to create animosity among nations, Nowruz should be blessed because it is a messenger of peace, happiness, friendship and solidarity for the humankind.”
Haddad Adel said: “I wish that the year 1400 brings all the peoples of the region as well as the world health and happiness.”
The president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature also told reporters: “The countries of the Nowruz region were very tasteful and chose such a refreshing time to start their year. Some of these countries are Persian-speaking, but Nowruz is for both Iranians and Persian speakers, non-Persian speakers like the people of Tajikistan and Afghanistan, the people of Bukhara and Samarkand celebrate it all.
Haddad Adel referred to the sanctions and severe economic pressures on the Iranian people in 1399 and added: “The enemies shall rest assured that our resistance will increase. The Iranian nation will overcome all problems with the same resistance.”
The president of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature said about the elections facing the Iranian people in 1400: “This year’s election is on the way, and the people should consider the issues and care about and decide which candidate they support. All Iranians should work for the country’s development. Differences of taste and opinion should not cause divisions.”
Haddad Adel said: “Nowruz symbols and rituals can bring all the peoples of the countries of the region round the Nowruz Table- the table of friendship and solidarity. Nowruz has the capacity to create solidarity for a thousand reasons.”
In this ceremony, in addition to the speech of the President of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature of Iran and the expression of the views of special guests about the common ritual of Nowruz, the joint Nowruz table of the ECO region was unveiled.
On the side of this international celebration, an exhibition of photographs and handicrafts from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was opened, as well as artists from the ECO region performed music from the region and the guests visited the exhibition.