As one of the ancient national festivities of Iranians, Nowruz, has been and is celebrated in Iran and all the lands to which Iranians have migrated, and while maintaining a deep connection with people it has become a clear manifestation of the extent of the influence of Iranian culture. The extent of this influence is so widespread that in addition to Iran, this great festivity is also celebrated in other countries of the geographical region of the Iranian culture including Central Asia, the Caucasus, Iran’s neighboring countries in the west and east, including Iraq, Turkey, the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf, Pakistan and even other regions such as the Balkans and the Indian Subcontinent.

Nowruz in Iranian Culture

The beginning of the new year is celebrated with certain special customs and traditions in all cultures, but in Iranian culture, the beginning of the new year is not limited to the exact beginning of the year and, rather, the preparation for the new year begins much earlier and involves special traditions and customs, which, besides adding to the beauty of this festivity, are of influential features. One of the distinguishing features of Iranian culture, in particular, and the geographical domain of Iranian civilization, in general, is the holding of a series of celebrations, memorials, and ceremonies that take place under the title of “Nowruz Celebrations” and involve special arrangements and preparations.

Nowruz and Cultural Relations among States

Convergence is the formation of larger groupings of countries within the purview of which they move toward joint decision-making, and reach the conclusion that the practical benefits of joint decision-making over one or more issues outweigh individual decision-making and, thus, move from a low level of cooperation to much higher levels and this type of decision-making can start from the field of culture and cultural commonalities and eventually spread to economic and political areas. This ancient Iranian festivity that has survived through the ages, is considered one of the prominent cultural traditions that, with its long historical and spiritual roots, can be a serious factor for cultural and social convergence and improvement of relations between the nations of the region and become the basis of cooperative interactions between them (especially in the area of culture) and subsequently lead to the materialization of their common interests.

Nowruz and its cultural traditions are of such characteristics that, if used properly and to their full capacities they would lead to the establishment of ties and increased cooperation in various fields. In other words, Nowruz can be considered a spiritual and historical context for cultural convergence among the countries that are part of the geographical region of the Iranian civilization as well as using the existing capacities for promoting the expansion of cultural cooperation between them. Nowruz has deep value and spiritual roots and with its wonderful cultural and historical themes gives a logical meaning to the relations between nations and governments in the field of culture and civilization and, as the spiritual and intangible heritage of Iran, it is essentially full of the spirit of compassion and unity and can be considered a rich source for preserving the cultural identity of a large number of people. Furthermore, it is also one of the most important festivities and celebrations that have survived among the nations of the world and have preserved their social credibility and prestige since times immemorial. In other words, as an intangible historical heritage that has overcome many bottlenecks, hindrances, and obstacles during the course of time, Nowruz can, in addition to creating a cultural bond among nations, increase social and economic cooperation between countries. Common culture and customs are important and powerful factors that can prepare the ground for closer and more profound relations among the countries in a region. The common approach of people to a common heritage called Nowruz can pave the way for future interactions in various other aspects. People’s belief in the celebration of certain historical days and festivities, such as that of the New Year, provides the necessary grounds for convergence, provided its tangible and intangible capacities and potentials are fully resorted to. As in the past, the Al-Huda International Cultural, Artistic, and Publishing Institute has, within the context of its mission for introducing the Iranian culture to the international community, undertaken to publish this special issue on Nowruz. It is hoped this special issue can be an effective step towards the promotion of this objective.

Hojjat al-Islam Mohammad Asadi Movahed, Islamic Research Scholar and Managing Director of Al-Huda International Cultural, Artistic and Publishing Institute