Dushanbe, 19.03.2016. (NIAT “Khovar”). — Navruz or New Year on the solar calendar is one of the greatest and oldest folk festivals, which at the beginning of its birth was celebrated only in the limitless expanses of the region of the Aryan nations. Over the years and centuries Navruz celebration space expanded, covering a large part of Eurasia. In 2010, this blessing tradition was declared as an international holiday, Navruz became a global festival.

However, the destiny of Navruz during its 6000-year history was not always easy. Over this long period, Navruz was attributed now and then to religion and traditions, policy of the era, interests of a state and nation. Its celebration was forbidden or limited in different parts of the world.

In particular, on the lands of the Aryans, at the initial stage of the expansion of Islam, by the reasons of misunderstanding or misrepresentation of its essence, Navruz was declared as anti-Islamic or non-Islamic tradition, and sometimes its celebration was forbidden. Such obstacles and misinterpretation of the essence of this festival has repeatedly occurred in the subsequent centuries. In the Soviet epoch, Navruz was considered as a religious Islamic festival and almost was forgotten. In those years, Navruz was celebrated only in the remote villages and in communities with some small groups of women and the elderly. The celebration was followed by the preparation of various dishes, and games and funny entertainments for children.

During the period of the Soviet Union’s perestroika, which was launched in the second half of the 80ies of the 20^th century, Navruz holiday has gradually assumed a mass character. However, only in the period of Tajikistan’s state independence, Navruz holiday was recognized at the state level and gained a really mass character as a glorious ancient tradition of our ancestors.

The fate of Navruz is very similar to the fate of the Tajik people, the creator and founder of this glorious ancient tradition. For thousands of years this nation and this holiday lived through a lot of ordeals and made an invaluable contribution to the history of human civilization.

Foreign invaders took a lot of fruitless efforts on the lands of our ancestors to spread their traditions and customs, culture and language, but fell themselves under the influence of statehood traditions and urban development of the Aryan peoples, studied and took them to their countries. This way, the territory of celebration of the blessed Navruz and the other instructive traditions and customs of our ancestors has been expanded in various remote regions of the world.

In the process of honoring the Tajik-Persian language and culture, as well as the blessed Navruz, the glorious sons of this nation have rendered historic services and played a prominent role during the fateful times. Ismoili Somoni, Rudaki, Bal’ami, Firdavsi, Ibn Sino, Al-Biruni, Khayyam, and other great sons of the era popularized the Tajik language and Navruz holiday’s tradition to such an extent that laid the foundation for thousands of years for the further development of this festival.

Henceforth, the responsibility for the protection and expansion of the culture of our ancestors fell on the shoulders of the wise sons of the Tajik people, like Ahmadi Donish, Aini, Bobojon Ghafurov and others, who dedicatedly continued this great filial duty, leaving a valuable legacy to the future generations.

During the period of Tajikistan’s state independence, this historic and cultural mission rested upon the shoulders of Emomali Rahmon, the great guardian of the glorious traditions of our ancestors and modern Tajiks.

Over these incredibly difficult years following the state independence of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon managed with dedication and at the risk of his own life to bring together literators and scientists and all sound forces of the society around the ideas of unity, promotion and revival of the national culture. Thus, he could rescue our young nation from destruction.

The young head of state, by restoring peace and harmony, uniting hopeless people, could light a fire of hope in a brighter future not only in the hearts of compatriots, but also in the hearts of our compatriots abroad, as most of them believed that their home of hope is Tajikistan.

One of the most important cultural policy directions of Emomali Rahmon and the Government of Tajikistan are the promotion and presentation of the blessed Navruz to the world community, which certainly contributes to the enhancement of the feelings of pride of our people in the glorious history and culture of their ancestors, as well as strengthening the unity.

In fact, an idea of revival and improvement of the traditions of celebrating the grand Navruz and other glorious traditions of our ancestors plays an important role in strengthening national unity, improving self-awareness, maintaining national mentality.

According to ancient thinking and beliefs, Navruz — is the time of awakening of nature and the equinox, light wins over darkness, heat over cold, good over evil, justice over injustice, beauty over ugliness, as well as a symbol of physical and spiritual purity; it is time for forgiveness to each other and the right time to expand the creative and landscaping works.

Just through these higher human values, this blessed festival in the era of Shah Jamshed became the world holiday…

Emomali Rahmon as the Chairman of the Forum of Tajiks and Persian-speaking Peoples of the world takes stable and solid steps for the revival of Aryan culture of the glorious traditions among the Aryans. His worthy initiatives on this tortuous and glorious path found full support from the leaders and peoples of the Aryan nations, such as Iran, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, as well as other states. Such support and solidarity, of course, is an encouraging factor in ensuring a bright future of young Tajikistan and throughout our region.

Namely, thanks to these efforts of our President and the Leader of the Nation Emomali Rahmon, along with cultural figures of Tajikistan and support and solidarity of the states recognizing Navruz as a cultural heritage, Navruz has become an International Holiday in 2009 and 2010.

Navruz holiday was officially recognized and inscribed by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing the International Day of Navruz in February 19, 2010. Navruz holiday has received an international status and become a world holiday.

The first and second celebration of International Day of Navruz took place in the city of Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2010 and 2011, which was attended by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, heads of state and high-ranking representatives from a number of countries celebrating the feast of Navruz.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon during the first celebration of International Day of Navruz in the city of Tehran in March 27, 2010, in particular, said: «Recognition of Navruz by the UN General Assembly as an international holiday indicates that our ancestors with the highest thoughts have created this festival, which is the personification of love and harmony, purity and devotion, beauty and tenderness, diligence and awakening”.

On that day, the former President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has also described Navruz nicely: «Most of the human civilization was appearing in the cultural and geographical area of Navruz. Navruz is one of the most beautiful and genuine joint aurora historical imagery of human culture. If we present to the world community Navruz as it is, it will be well received by all. Now it is the time for all countries and peoples of the area celebrating Navruz to act broader and take more effective measures for submission of the values ​​and messages of Navruz to the global community».

Exactly one year later, again in Tehran, during the celebration of the second International Day of Navruz, Emomali Rahmon said: «And now, after that Navruz became an international holiday and there are more opportunities, our countries need through annual festive celebration of Navruz to fully revive its forgotten traditions, which of course due to the historical events had been lost; and to prove to the world step by step that indeed Navruz is one of the greatest human holidays. And we will surely fulfill this mission until the end».

On March 19, 2011, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan at the meeting with the intelligentsia gladly stated that «the declaration of Navruz as an international festival plays an important role for the development of dialogue among civilizations, expanding mutual understanding among nations, strengthening peace, stability of peoples, as well as presentation of the culture and civilization of Aryan peoples».

The head of state in his speeches to intelligentsia said: «The celebration of Navruz at the international level requires us to revive the good traditions and customs of ancient times, as well as give them a new luster and grandeur».

In 2012, Tajikistan and its people under the leadership of Head of State Emomali Rahmon hosted international holiday of Navruz.

In honor of this event, the International Conference Navruz — 2012 and the grand celebrations were held in the country’s capital city.

The Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, and senior representatives from 40 countries and 35 regional and world organizations arrived to Tajikistan in order to take part in the celebrations of Navruz holiday.

The Head of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan,  Ján Kubiš, senior representatives of other states and major international organizations delivered speech at the opening ceremony of the International Conference of Navruz – 2012  and genuinely and proudly congratulated the people of all countries, marking the blessed Navruz, with the acquisition of international status by this ancient festival.

The celebration of the international holiday of Navruz – 2012 took place in the Navruzgoh complex with the participation of heads of state and many distinguished guests.

In honor of the third anniversary of the International Navruz – 2012, the avenue of Hafiz Sherozi from Somoni Avenue to the entrance of Navruzgoh complex was decorated with an exhibition of products of national crafts and gifts of heavenly nature of solar Tajikistan.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and heads of other states visited the exhibition of products of national crafts, industrial enterprises and agricultural workers.

Despite the rainy and cool weather at that day, the festive atmosphere was very warm and funny.

The festive program of the third international festival of Navruz — 2012 started in the Navruzgoh complex with the participation of the heads of state and other distinguished guests.

For the first time in this complex, with 14 thousand seats after renovation, the international holiday Navruz -2012 was greeted by a theatrical program presented by masters of arts and culture of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan that showed skill, festive mood, reflecting customs and traditions of Navruz, inherited from eminent ancestors.

Navruzgoh complex of Tajikistan in honor of International Navruz — 2012, thanks to the high art of architects, sculptors and other artists gained the appearance of the Navruz’s birthplace — “Takhti Jamshed”.

In 2013, by invitation of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the International Day of Navruz took place in Ashgabat.

The celebration of the Fifth International Navruz holiday took place in one of the cities of the cradles of the national and natural festival in the city of Kabul, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in 2014.

It is safe to say that in Afghanistan, blessed Navruz, fulfilling its historic mission to promote peace, stability and peaceful coexistence of different nations, nationalities and schools of thought, in other words, helps to implement the principle of «good thoughts, good speech, and good deeds».

The celebration of blessed International Navruz, in spite of taking place in one or another country, is welcomed in all corners of the independent Tajikistan by cultured and civilized Tajik people with a special manner and magnificence.

It should be noted that Navruz, due to the fact that became an international holiday, even better and more widely fulfills its historical and cultural mission involving the promotion and strengthening of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, love, warmth, light, purity and cleanliness.

Zarobiddin Kosimi