Int'l Novruz Day marked in Dushanbe

A solemn ceremony marking the International Day of Novruz has been held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as part of an international conference Novruz-2012.

The event brought together officials from 40 countries, representatives of 35 international and regional organizations, including Presidents Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan`s Deputy Prime Minister Elchin Afandiyev and UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Jan Kubis.

President of Tajikistan Emomalii Rahmon congratulated participants of the event on the occasion of the Novruz holiday.

The President noted the UN`s General Assembly in 2010 recognized the International Day of Novruz, describing it a spring festival of Persian origin which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.

The meeting participants decided to hold the World Novruz festivities in Ashgabat in 2013 and in Kabul in 2014.


/AzerTAc/