This year, the dates of Ramadan and Nowruz coincide. With both holidays being very important to people from Afghanistan, Iran and surrounding countries, the occasion called for an exciting occasion.
On the 22nd of March, the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) hosted a combined Nowruz Bazaar and Iftar. The Ferdowsi Hall was elegantly decorated with a Haft Seen. Throughout the day, numerous stalls were present, selling items such as Indian jewelry, Afghan dresses, Farsi children’s books, Dutch pancakes and more. ACAA sold food that are signature to Nowruz in Afghanistan, including haft-mewa, gosh-e-fil, along with saffron. Then the around 100 attendees broke their fast with a feast of shared cuisines.
As a longtime staff member of ACAA, I have had the opportunity to participate in several Nowruz and Iftar celebrations. Having previously been largely unfamiliar with these occasions before I joined the ACAA team, I appreciate how these holidays represent the intricacies of the communities we work with. Nowruz is the start of the Persian year. Ramadan was when the Quran was released, about giving and personal reflection to become a better person in the next year.
Despite these differences, they both are about a new start.
Written by: Justine Seligson