Nowruz is the manifestation of the revival of nature. Nowruz is a new opportunity for people to reflect on their life and circumstances and seek help from God Almighty to be in the best of conditions spiritually. Nowruz also provides the opportunity for self-retrospection and reflecting upon one’s need to evolve on a sacred path replete with signs of the power of God Almighty. This transformation is the divine tradition for which Nowruz is considered a turning point. The existing harmony among the nations who celebrate Nowruz brings their hearts and minds closer to each other at the glorious and beautiful moments of the change of Year. The morning breeze of the first day of Nowruz creates a sense of rebirth among the Persian-speaking nations as well as the non-Persian-speaking nations who consider Nowruz as the ancient heritage of their ancestors.

In addition to its intrinsic value, Nowruz is an opportunity to develop cultural relations between Iran and its neighbors. The spiritual and civilized outlook towards Nowruz can become a point of profound connection between the nations of the region. Looking at Nowruz as an ancient rite and tradition is not the whole story! Nowruz originated from a kind of unique civilization and has the power to create a cultural-civilizational union among different countries.

In Central Asia, Caucasus, and West Asia, Nowruz can be more than a «common tradition» and become a «center of common culture» to reach a «unified cultural system». This cultural system may not be limited to a specific time (the end of winter and the beginning of spring) and it can include all the days of the year. This cultural-civilized capacity should be considered and flourished by the countries that celebrate Nowruz.

In the religious teachings of the main leaders of Islam, Nowruz has been referred to as a symbol of transition to a new era in human life. This exalting outlook towards the change of year and Nowruz shows that religious leaders have considered it to be more than just a ceremony or tradition and looked at it as a turning point in the elevation of human values.

What makes honoring this ancient festivity even more evident is to use of this common opportunity for coexistence, synergy, and convergence among nations and the development, stabilization, and evolution of their cooperation by means of this common heritage.

Nowruz has a special place among the nations of the region and can ensure continuous alliance and greater interaction among these nations and their governments. The hidden creativity and beauty in this ancient festivity can be considered an instrument for promoting a certain lifestyle based on «effective transformation» in the individual, social and international relations of nations.  We believe that the regional and extra-regional capacities of Nowruz have not yet been fully actualized, and this heightens the responsibility of the relevant institutions in the countries that celebrate this beautiful tradition.

Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, as the custodian of the cultural diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, considers identifying and actualizing the latent capacities and strengthening the current capacities of this ancient tradition as a measure of civilizational and religious solidarity among countries. It is hoped to witness greater convergence among countries inspired by this rich tradition, in the near future. The realization of this ideal will create a bright future for those interested in Nowruz, and our dear compatriots inside and outside the country can, as in the past, have a significant impact on the expansion of the culture of Nowruz.

I, hereby, express my heartfelt congratulations to all dear Iranians, especially those living abroad, as well as the statesmen and citizens of countries within the cultural and religious zone of Nowruz, on this occasion and the New Year (1403) and I wish them a year full of success, blessings, and prosperity.