TEHRAN – Iran pavilion is set to add extra charm to the prestigious Expo 2020 Dubai by widening its outline such as an enormous celebration of Noruz, the Persian New Year, which will begin on March 21.

The decision was reached during a meeting between the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ezatollah Zarghami, Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili and Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Reza Fatemi Amin, Mehr reported on Sunday.

During the meeting, the financial support needed to implement the ideas for improving the condition of Iran’s pavilion during the remaining 100 days of the expo was also discussed.

Noruz, which usually falls on March 21st every year, marks the beginning of spring across a vast geographical area. The feast was initially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, as a common tradition for Iran, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. However, the five other countries put in requests officially to be added to the list during a meeting held in Tehran in January 2014.

In December 2016, Iran and 11 other countries registered Noruz as a common tradition during the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Noruz, according to UNESCO, promotes the values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families, as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and various communities.

Noruz traditions, however, vary from place to place, ranging from leaping over fires and streams in Iran to tightrope walking, lighting candles at house doors, traditional games such as horse racing, or the traditional wrestling practiced in Kyrgyzstan.

Dubai Expo

Expo 2020 originally was scheduled for October 20, 2020 –April 10, 2021, but due to the outbreaks of the coronavirus, the event has been postponed. However, the organizers keep the name Expo 2020 for marketing and branding purposes.

Throughout the years, World Expos have been global events dedicated to sharing top-notch innovation, showcasing ground-breaking inventions, and discovering resolutions to fundamental challenges by facing humanity. They are organized every five years and last for six months.

Many countries and companies are also looking to the expo - the first major global event open to visitors since the coronavirus pandemic - to boost trade and investment.

According to organizers, the Expo, an exhibition of culture, technology, and architecture under the banner “Connecting Minds and Creating the Future”, is expected to be a demonstration of ingenuity and a place where global challenges such as climate change, conflict, and economic growth can be addressed together.

The Persian Gulf state has relaxed most coronavirus limitations but Expo requires face masks to be worn and for visitors over 18 to be vaccinated against, or test negative for, COVID-19.

Experts expect Iran to achieve a tourism boom after coronavirus contained, believing its impact would be temporary and short-lived for a country that ranked the third fastest-growing tourism destination in 2019.

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, Iran aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

ABU/AFM