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Indonesia's 66th Independence Day Commemoration

Military parades took place in front of local officials to commemorate Indonesia's 66th year of independence from the Netherlands in the city of...

by Robertus Pudyanto in Indonesia on 17/08/2011

Politics

PKR Flag-Raising ceremony at Padang Merdeka, Kuching

People's Justice Party of Malaysia (PKR), an opposition political party held a flag raising ceremony to commemorate Malaysia Day at Padang...

by Awang Kassim in Malaysia on 16/09/2010

Afghan men and women flock to Mazer-i-Sharif to celebrate Nowroz and to engage in the traditional 'Jahenda Bala' - raising of the flag at the Holy Blue Mosque. Mazer-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. 21/3/10. 

Afghan women trooped to the Hazrat Ali Shrine, the center of today’s New Year 1389 celebration at Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan.

Afghans and residents of neighbouring countries like Iran celebrate their New Year on 21 March. Nowruz marks the beginning of the year, and the first day of spring.

In his Nowruz message, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the UN General Assembly’s decision to this year recognize the International Day of Nowruz, saying it is “evidence of a growing global awareness of the holiday’s significance not only in the regions where it is celebrated but around the world.”

“For millennia, when the sun crosses the equator and the northern hemisphere enters Spring, peoples in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions have carried out their own special traditions in celebration of Nowruz,” noted Mr Ban as he hoped that “countries and people around the world will draw on this festival’s history and customs to promote harmony with the natural world and foster global peace and goodwill.”

In Afghanistan, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative Staffan de Mistura noted that Nowruz “is a very important moment of festivity that has been celebrated for 2,500 years.”

This particular ritual is known as the 'Jahenda Bala' performed in Mazar-i-Sharif at the Hazrat Ali Shrine (believed to be the tomb of the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed) by raising a banner at the Blue Mosque. 

Photos: Fardin Waezi

Arts & Entertainment

Mazar-i-Sharif celebrates Nowroz

Afghan men and women flock to Mazer-i-Sharif to celebrate Nowroz and to engage in the traditional 'Jahenda Bala' - raising of the flag at...

by UNAMA in Afghanistan on 21/03/2010

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