“This special time of year brings different people from across a richly diverse region together for the annual festival of Navruz, a celebration of the larger forces that unite us,” the message reads.

“Marking a New Year with the first day of Spring, Navruz is an age-old tradition in many countries of Western, Central and South Asia, the Caucuses, the Balkans and beyond,” the UN chief noted.

“Navruz engenders a vast array of cultural expressions. Celebratory rites can take the form of horseracing, traditional wrestling, songs in various languages, tales about the mythological King Jamshid, or lighting candles in front of homes. These different manifestations of the spirit of Navruz carry the same message of human solidarity,” he said.

“An impressive range of countries sponsored the successful initiative to inscribe Navruz on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. That joint effort of Azerbaijan, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan itself proved the value of unity in diversity,” the message reads.

“Navruz does more than bring countries together; it reminds us to cherish the planet we share. By highlighting the beauty of nature and the renewal of springtime, Navruz can inspire celebrants and onlookers alike to practice greater environmental stewardship,” Ban Ki-moon underlined.

“On this International Day of Navruz, I offer my best wishes to those who celebrate, and express hope that all people can use the occasion to reflect on the beauty of nature, the promise of Spring and the power of culture to build peace,” the UN head said.