United Nations General Assembly Recognizes 21 March as International Day of Nouruz (Persian New Year Celebration)

*.*Happy New Year*.*

*.*Happy International Nouruz*.*

After lots of attempts by Persian Bloggers and also by participating lots of Iranians in an Online Petition, in order to Internationalize the Iranian's National New Year Celebration, so called "Nouruz", which is being celebrated in many many countries in the world that were a part of Persian Empire, finally United Nations General Assembly has convinced to add 21st of March in the International Calendar and recognized it as International Day of Nouruz.

In the General Assembly many countries have tried to persuade the chief of UN for Internationalizing the Nouruz, and as it's clear in the news of UN's Department of Public Information, after Azerbaijan’s representative attempts, Iranian representative by quoting lines of the Persian poet Mevlana Rumi that expressed the holiday’s theme of rebirth “On our planet and in our souls” and by support of Millions of Persians everything has finished up and finally the General Assembly of UN convinced.

Persian Nouruz is going to celebrate in many countries which were under Persian Empire authority and Persian Cultures, included here:
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, some parts of Turkey, Georgia and Russia, Iraq, Lebanon, the countries under Persian Gulf, Pakistan, Most parts of India, North Western of China, Eastern and South Eastern of Europe, and many other countries which were one of the provinces of IRAN [Persia].

Cyrus the Great - Founder of Persian Empire, 2600 years ago

It's been about 1 month which the cities are all crowded in IRAN and all people are getting ready for the great celebration which is came from their glorious civilization. It's a custom in this celebration to buy Fruits, Cookies, Chocolates to welcome relatives, friends and other guests. Iranian's hospitality is known for those who traveled there.
Those who traveled IRAN do not think like other people of the world, cause they've seen something different from the things which the Western Media has shown and propagate against IRAN.
" If you're one of the many Americans who believe that IRAN is a nation of religious thugs that was born when a handful of them took our embassy in Tehran hostage, I just want you to consider one thing. Today marks the Persian New Year, celebrated by roughly more than a quarter billion people throughout the world, but originally in IRAN at least as far back as 2,500 years ago.
"March 20?" You ask. Yes. It's the vernal equinox, or more commonly known, the first day of Spring. One could make the case that a people who start their year at the beginning of Spring may come from a more civilized tradition than those whose calendar starts on a random day in the middle of winter.
So I say this Persian New Year we resolve to be more curious about the other, less insular and engage in dialog with our adversaries with the goal of finding common ground. " said Jason Rezaian in his blog.

It's been a long time Persian Nouruz being appreciated by International Communities:

A traditional Haft Sin table celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is seen set Wednesday, March 19, 2008, in the State Dining Room of the White House. Nowruz is, in Persian and some other cultures, including Kurdish culture, a family-oriented holiday celebrating the New Year and the coming of Spring. The Haft Sin table has seven items symbolizing new life, joy, love, beauty and health, sunrise, patience and garlic to ward off evil. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

21 March 2009, Microsoft Live Search Engine used Persepolis picture as its background for appreciating Persian Nouruz.

Google Search Engine Logo's has been changing each year in the first day of Spring and the first day of Nouruz Celebration.

San Francisco hosts Nouruz celebration

From the Mayor's Office of Communications

March 31, 2006

Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi hosted 500 guests from across the Bay Area for the 1st Annual Nouruz Celebration in the City and County of San Francisco.

Ballet Afsaneh transform City Hall's rotunda in celebration of Norouz, the Iranian New Year.

Mayor Gavin Newsom consoles Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi after Mirkarimi puts best foot forward with greetings in Persian.

Nejad WorId Music Center perform hypnotic traditional Persian standards.

Haft-Sin Table in Kish Island under Persian Gulf by some Iranian divers.

Iranians will start the years that are mentioned below:

1) The solar year 7032 (Aryan Civilization)
2) The solar year 6760 (Assyrian Civilization)
3) The solar year 3748 (Zoroastrian Civilization)
4) The solar year 2569 (Achaemenid Civilization)
5) The solar year 1389 (The Civilization since Islam appeared)

Iranians will celebrate Nouruz for about 13 days. First day of Spring which is equal with start of Persians New Year and Nouruz will be at 21:02:13 Tehran (17:32:47 GMT) 20th of March.

This Persian Girl miniature is one of the symbols of Spring and Nouruz, which mostly being seen in Iranian Artists paintings.

Sources: www.un.org , www.whitehouse.gov , www.fogcityjournal.com , www.sfgate.com