The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz) means “new day” and the Nowruz celebration marks the first day of spring on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on or around March 21. It is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people all around the world and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and other regions.

Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous people, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the renewal of nature. It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities. Its traditions and rituals reflect the cultural and ancient customs of the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values.

Learn more: https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-nowruz-day

Celebrating Nowruz means the affirmation of life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labor and natural cycles of renewal, and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life.

Best Regards,
The SJSU IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee