TEHRAN – Three provinces of Kermanshah, Hamedan, and Kordestan are scheduled to hold an event jointly to celebrate the last Noruz (Iranian new year holidays) of the 14th century.

Hosting such an international event on the occasion of the Iranian new year 1400 (starts on March 21, 2021), is a unique opportunity to promote and develop tourism in these regions, Iman Derakhshi, an official of Kermanshah Municipality said on Monday, IRNA reported.

Other cities and provinces, who are the members of the tourism route of history and civilization, are also to join the event to introduce their tourism potentials to domestic and foreign travelers, he added.

Several countries in the world celebrate Noruz and Iran traditionally hosts them in such events.

Noruz, which usually falls on March 21st every year, marks the beginning of spring across a vast geographical area. The feast was initially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, as a common tradition for Iran, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. However, the five other countries put in requests officially to be added to the list during a meeting held in Tehran in January 2014.

In December 2016, Iran and 11 other countries registered Noruz as a common tradition during the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Noruz, according to UNESCO, promotes the values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families, as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and various communities.

Noruz traditions, however, vary from place to place, ranging from leaping over fires and streams in Iran to tightrope walking, lighting candles at house doors, traditional games such as horse racing, or the traditional wrestling practiced in Kyrgyzstan.

ABU/MG