VITEBSK, 24 March (BelTA) – Cultures of five countries will be presented at the second open interuniversity celebration of Nowruz, BelTA learnt from the Vitebsk Culture Center.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Tatarstan, and Turkmenistan celebrate the Nowruz holiday every year. Vitebsk universities have foreign students from these countries. The students will present their Nowruz celebration traditions to the residents of Vitebsk on 24 March. The celebration will start at the Culture Center of the Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine. The Vitebsk residents will learn about the national costumes and headwear, works of folk arts and crafts, and will taste dishes of the national cuisines. The presentation at the Culture Center will be followed by a concert that will feature students from all the four Vitebsk universities: the Piotr Masherov Vitebsk State University, the Vitebsk State Technological University, the Vitebsk State Medical University, and the Vitebsk State Academy of Veterinary Medicine. The program of the concert includes performances connected with the celebration of Nowruz in the Eastern countries.

In Persian the word “Nowruz” means “the New Day”. In the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus the holiday marks the beginning of spring and agricultural works, which is an important event for all the nations of the world. The countries celebrating Nowruz have many customs and traditions connected with this holiday.

The Nowruz celebration in Vitebsk has been organized with the participation of the Center of National Cultures of the Vitebsk Culture Center and the National Center of National Cultures.