Nowruz
March 20 · Level 10 · #83 of 2238
Nowruz is an ancient festival of the spring equinox and the new year, marked by many peoples of Iran, Central Asia and the Caucasus. It celebrates nature waking up and a fresh start.
How it is celebrated: families tidy their homes, lay out a generous table, visit relatives and exchange gifts. In Iran they set up the haft-sin table, while in Central Asia people cook sumalak and gather for festivals and folk games.
The haft-sin table holds seven items whose Persian names all begin with the letter sin. UNESCO has inscribed Nowruz on its list of intangible cultural heritage, and the UN has proclaimed an International Day of Nowruz.