Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Azerbaijani ancient Novruz Holiday is celebrated in Azerbaijani embassies abroad.

Nowruz Commission in Washington has arranged a celebrative event to mark Novruz Holiday.

Azerbaijan`s stand at the event featured national musical instruments, garments and carpets.

Azerbaijani musicians performed national music pieces, including "Sari Galin" ("Blonde Bride").

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Tokyo also organized an event to celebrate Novruz Holiday on Sunday.

The event brought together Japanese public and political figures, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora and journalists.

Opening the event, Azerbaijani ambassador Gursel Ismayilzade briefed participants on Novruz Holiday, which had been included into UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of the world.

"In 2010, the UN announced March 21st as "International Day of Novruz," he added.

The Novruz holiday was included into the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2009 thanks to the efforts of President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO goodwill ambassador, MP, Mehriban Aliyeva.

The participants viewed a photo exhibition and documentary films on Novruz traditions, as well as Azerbaijan`s history, culture, art, cuisine and national dances.

Employee of Japan's Environment Ministry Chiaki Hisada made a speech at the event, and congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of Novruz.

The event also featured a quiz titled "What do I know about Azerbaijan?".

Editions of "IRS" magazine in the Japanese language were distributed among the participants.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan`s Embassy in Uzbekistan and Women Council of the Tashkent-based Azerbaijan Culture Center have arranged an event to mark Novruz Holiday.

The event was attended by women diplomats, spouses of Azerbaijani and foreign diplomats accredited in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijani diaspora`s women activists, and journalists.

Gulzara Guliyeva, the spouse of the Azerbaijani Ambassador, congratulated the participants on Novruz Holiday.

The event featured an exhibition of Azerbaijani carpets and national items.

Dating back to ancient times, Novruz has always been celebrated as the beginning of the new year by people all around the world. Usually preparation for Novruz begins a month prior to the festival. Each of forthcoming four weeks is devoted to one of the four elements and called accordingly in Azerbaijan. Each Tuesday people celebrate the day of one of the four elements - water, fire, earth and wind. The last and the most important Tuesday is devoted to wind and called Yel Charshanbasi or Ilakhir Chershenbe by Azerbaijani people.