Nowruz
Nowruz translates to “new day.” It is a festive celebration of the spring equinox and the beginning of a new year. Originating in Persia and the Zoroastrian faith, the holiday is recognized as an important part of Iranian cultural identity and is celebrated by Persian communities around the world. The United Nations formally recognized it as an international holiday in 2010. Nowruz is celebrated as a secular holiday by people from diverse ethnic communities and religious backgrounds. It is also recognized as a holy day for the Bahá’ís and Zoroastrians.
Nowruz is the most common spelling, but there are multiple variations of the spelling and pronunciation among observers around the world, including Noroz, Norouz, Naw-Rúz, and Norooz. Naw-Rúz is a feast day each year that marks the end of 19 days of fasting in the Bahá’í faith. Chahar-shanbe-soori is a Persian Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of Nowruz.