Happy Nawroz!

Happy Nawroz! Nawroz having Zoroastrian origins, literally means “New Day” and is celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan and along other countries in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Black Sea Basin. It is even celebrated across the Parsi community in India.

Nawroz is the first day of the first month in the Iranian calendar, and it is the day of the vertical equinox, bringing the spring season in. It is celebrated when the sun crosses the celestial equator, equalizing night and day.

Our Year 7 student, Yasmin, yesterday (March 21st 2018) visited the Primary School to make a presentation to the Primary school on what Nawroz really is, its origins, and how she celebrates it in her family and culture. Students asked various questions of whether it calls for fasting or what time it is celebrated, what kind of food she eats, and interesting trivia. Our IB PYP Coordinator, Madam Sandeepa, also explained how the Zoroastrians came to India and became one of the most loved communities known as the “Parsis” in India.

At ARIS, we believe that in a multicultural, diverse community like ours, it is important to know and understand festivals from other cultures, to expand knowledge, acceptance and celebration of the different kinds of people that they are part of the community with. Altogether, an enlightening and educational experience.