TEHRAN (MNA) -- The relentless abandonment of national traditions and their replacement with foreign cultural norms is leading to the destruction of Iranian cultures and subcultures, folklore expert Ahmad Vakilian warned on Friday.

“The 2500-year-old inscriptions indicate that Noruz (Iranian New Year) was an ancient ceremony in Iran. It has been a seasonal celebration which highlights the beginning of spring, the revival of nature, and the improvement of (the situation for) farming and stockbreeding. It wasn’t at all exclusively limited to kings and aristocrats,” Vakilian added.

He elaborated on the importance of Noruz for ancient Iranians, saying that people rejoiced over the new season after a difficult and cold winter.

Vakilian, who is the author of the book “Ramadan in the Popular Culture”, noted that in Pahlavi (a Middle Persian language), the word ‘celebration’ means to praise and worship God with the intention of seeking prosperity for all human beings.

Praising God, cleaning houses, visiting relatives, and forgiving slights are the eternal attire of Noruz, he maintained.

“If we don’t maintain the Iranian occasions and celebrations, our youth will turn to foreign ceremonies like Valentine’s Day in order to meet their need for happiness,” he warned. Vakilian asserted, “If we don’t take care of our own culture, it will be replaced by foreign cultures through the increasing (influence of the) mass media.”

A culture can not survive unless it fulfills the needs of its society, he said in conclusion.