No Ruz, new day or New Year as the Iranians call it, is a celebration of spring Equinox. It has been celebrated by all the major cultures of ancient Mesopotamia. Sumerians, 3000BC, Babylonians 2000 BC, the ancient kingdom of Elam in Southern Persia 2000BC, Akaddians all have been celebrating it in one form or another. What we have today as No Ruz with its’ uniquely Iranian characteristics has been celebrated for at least 3000 years and is deeply rooted in the traditions of Zoroastrian belief system.

This was the religion of Ancient Persia before the advent of Islam 1400 years ago. It is known as the mother religion in the area. The familiar concepts of Hell, Heaven, Resurrection, coming of the Messiah, individual and last judgment were for the first time incorporated into this belief system. They still exist in Judo-Christian and Islamic traditions. In order to understand No Ruz we have to know about Zoroastrians’ cosmology.

The Persians are an Iranian people who speak the Persian language and share a common culture and history.

Persians are the main ethnic group of Iran and are the majority and dominant ethnic group of Iran. They also inhabit in neighboring countries particularly in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and in these countries they are usually thought of as sub-groups. Significant numbers of Persians also reside outside of these countries, with the largest communities found in the United States, Germany, England, Canada, Kuwait, France, Italy, Turkey. Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE also have large populations of Persian descendants, referred to as Ajamis. Smaller communities are also found in surrounding countries and the Arabian Peninsula.