MASHHAD – A number of Afghan migrants and local residents gathered in Mashhad on Sunday evening to mark the ancient festivity of Yalda Night at a cultural program held at the Persian Gulf Complex, organizers said.

The event, titled “Awaiting the Dawn,” was attended by Afghan and Iranian figures from cultural, social, political, artistic and sports fields, reflecting shared traditions between the two communities.

The program featured music, poetry, storytelling and traditional Yalda customs, which are observed on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

The ceremony was hosted by the Immigrants Art House of Khorasan Razavi and supported by the Afghanistan Cultural and Social Foundation for Migrants in Iran, according to organizers.

Mashhad Municipality and its General Directorate of Public Relations and International Affairs cooperated in organizing the event, which aimed to promote cultural exchange and social interaction between migrants and local residents.

Speakers at the gathering said preserving cultural identity alongside social integration was important for migrant communities living in Iran.

Yalda Night, also known as Shab-e Chelle, is an ancient festival observed in Iran and several neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The tradition was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December 2022, according to the United Nations cultural body.

AM