TEHRAN – Iran has called on its nearby states to join hands to put forward the ancient Persian Yalda festivity for a possible UNESCO registration.

“We are prepared for a multinational inscription of Yalda Night by 2019,” Mohammad-Hassan Talebian, a deputy director of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization, said on Thursday.

Iran solely submitted an initial proposal on the event to the UN cultural body in 2015, yet has recently issued calls for other nations, including the ones sharing a UNESCO-tag for Noruz celebrations, to join in, he added.

Yalda Night (the birth of a new sun) and Noruz or Persian New Year (the birth of a new day) are amongst the most popular ancient Persian festivals, which are also celebrated by some countries in western and central Asia.

Yalda Night is celebrated on the eve of winter solstice, which falls on the last day of Azar (the last month of autumn in the Iranian calendar year).

On that graceful night the winter chill is vanquished and the warmth of love embraces the entire family. It’s a time for pleasant family reunions that entails laughter, merriment and good cheer.

According to the UNESCO website, Yadla ceremonies, in a best way, point to cultural diversity and human creativity, especially when one considers the wide range of the communities that celebrate it.

Last year, UNESCO approved Noruz collective feast of 12 nations that include Iran, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

PHOTO: Yalda Night is a time for pleasant family reunions that entails laughter, merriment and good cheer.

AFM/MG/PA