U.S. embassy marks Novruz holiday
US Embassy in Azerbaijan has hosted an event marking Novruz holiday, AzerTac state news agency reported
The event was attended by the embassy staff and their families.
Ambassador Robert Cekuta congratulated the Azerbaijani people on
the occasion of Novruz holiday.
"Novruz is a celebration of a new life", Robert Cekuta said.
The ambassador further hailed the U.S.-Azerbaijani cooperation
in the fields of security, economy, democracy, rule of law.
The event featured performance of Azerbaijani folk music and
dances.
Novruz, which symbolizes the awakening, is one of Azerbaijan's most cherished holidays. Novruz has been celebrated by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds for thousands of years. Some 17 countries including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and other scattered populations in Central Asia mark this day as a holiday of the spring equinox.
Novruz celebrations begin a month before the actual holiday. The four Tuesdays named after these elements and called Su Chershenbesi (Water Tuesday), Od Chershenbesi (Fire Tuesday), Hava Chershenbesi (Wind Tuesday) and Torpaq Chershenbesi (Earth or Last Tuesday).
In 2009, Novruz was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and since then, March 21 was declared the International Day of Novruz.
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