TEHRAN – Iran is set to host an international Nowruz summit with ministers from 18 countries in Tehran from March 27 to 29, 2026, a senior official from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said on Sunday.

Hojjatollah Ayyoubi, senior adviser to the minister and head of the ministry’s international affairs center, said the meeting will be held at the Summit Hall in Tehran and will bring together tourism and culture ministers from 18 countries, with representatives from five observer states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) also expected to attend.

Speaking at the first meeting of the policy council for the Nowruz summit, Ayyoubi said invitations had been sent to 27 ministers, adding that China, Russia, Indonesia, India and another member of the Economic Cooperation Organization would participate as observers.

Ayyoubi said the Foreign Ministry had played a key role in facilitating preparations for the event. He said the upcoming gathering would not be a ceremonial celebration of Nowruz but a political and cultural meeting aimed at conveying the message that Iran is a safe country and is not in a state of conflict.

“This is an international summit with the participation of ministers and a speech by the president,” Ayyoubi said. “Its message is that Iran is a secure country and a central hub of the Nowruz civilization.”

He added that the event would include limited cultural programs, such as performances by an international Nowruz symphony ensemble, but would focus primarily on dialogue and networking among participating countries.

Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey said China and India would be special guests at the summit.

Bandpey said a permanent secretariat for the Nowruz summit would be established in Tehran and that specialized committees covering cultural affairs, arts, accommodation, security, taxation and communications had been formed.

He also said international tourism arrivals to Iran had increased by 48.5% in the first month of the current Iranian year (started on March 20 2025) compared with the same period last year, attributing the rise to enhanced cultural diplomacy and cooperation with the Foreign Ministry.

Last week, Iran’s tourism minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri announced plans to hold a meeting of tourism ministers and a global Nowruz celebration in Tehran, and called on foreign ambassadors to encourage cultural figures in their countries to take part.

Ayyoubi said the shared heritage of Nowruz could serve as a bridge for dialogue among nations. “In a world crowded with information, face-to-face encounters remain the most effective way for genuine understanding,” he said.

Nowruz, inscribed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year. Celebrated across a wide region including Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the ancient festival symbolizes renewal, harmony and hope.

The word Nowruz combines the Persian words for “new” and “day” and is marked by rituals such as house cleaning, family gatherings, and the preparation of the Haft-Seen table, which features seven symbolic items representing health, prosperity and renewal.

AM