TEHRAN - A special celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, was held at the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Budapest, coinciding with the arrival of spring and the 1404 solar year.

The event also marked the centennial anniversary of diplomatic relations between Iran and Hungary, highlighting shared cultural ties and centuries of historical connection, ISNA reported on Friday evening.

The festive gathering was attended by a number of Hungarian officials, as well as ambassadors and diplomats from Nowruz-celebrating countries, including Pakistan, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, together with representatives from Russia, China, Belarus, and Japan.

Moreover, some university professors, scholars, and members of the Iranian community in Hungary also took part.

Iran’s ambassador to Hungary, Morteza Moradian, welcomed guests and extended New Year greetings, emphasizing the deep-rooted relationship between the two nations.

Nowruz is not just a New Year celebration, but a shared cultural heritage listed by UNESCO, offering an opportunity to further strengthen the cultural and economic ties between Iran and Hungary, Moradian said.

Péter Jakab, Director General for the Middle East and North Africa at Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also delivered remarks, describing the centuries-old ties between Tehran and Budapest as robust. He reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Iran, particularly in the fields of culture, economy, and science.

One of the highlights of the event was the bilingual Naqqali performance, an ancient Iranian storytelling art form, by Iranian performer Bahareh Jahandoust.

She also narrated a tale of Nowruz’s mythical origin and the story of Bijan and Manijeh from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, captivating the audience in both Persian and English. Her performance was accompanied by a live kamancheh solo by an Iranian student residing in Budapest.

Guests also had the opportunity to experience the traditional Haft-Sin table, a symbolic centerpiece of Nowruz, and participate in a Hafez divination ritual. The warm and intimate atmosphere of the event served as a cultural bridge between the two nations.

According to ISNA, in a separate event at Eotvos Lorand University, Jahandoust performed Naqqali to great acclaim among students and faculty from various departments, especially those in Iranian studies. The performance was acclaimed by the head of the Iranian Studies Department, who praised Shahnameh and Nowruz as vital elements of Persian culture and called for greater scholarly attention to Iran's literary heritage.

During the university event, Jahandoust also spoke about the universal messages of peace and humanism in Ferdowsi’s poetry. The program featured a reading from The Tomb of Hafez, a collection by Hungarian poet Csokonai Vitéz, who was inspired by the Persian mystic’s verses.

Nowruz, which marks the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature, is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is celebrated by numerous countries across Central and West Asia.

AM