Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz.

Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz.

Whereas Nowruz marks the traditional Iranian New Year, which originated in ancient Persia, and dates back more than 3,000 years;

Whereas Nowruz, meaning a “New Day”, occurs on the vernal equinox and celebrates the arrival of spring;

Whereas Nowruz symbolizes a time of renewal and community, it harkens the departure from the trials and tribulations of the previous year, and it brings hope for the New Year;

Whereas Nowruz is celebrated by nearly 300,000,000 Iranians and other peoples all over the world, including in the United States, Iran, and other countries in Central Asia, South Asia, the Caucasus, Crimea, and the Balkan region;

Whereas Nowruz is celebrated by Iranian Americans of all backgrounds, including those with Baha’i, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Zoroastrian, and nonreligious backgrounds;

Whereas Nowruz serves to remind the United States of the many lasting contributions of the Persian civilization to the world and the noteworthy impact of Iranian Americans to the social and economic fabric of society in the United States;

Whereas Iranian Americans continue to make contributions in all sectors of American public life, including as government, military, and law enforcement officials working to uphold the Constitution of the United States and to protect all people in the United States;

Whereas Iranian Americans maintain strong ties to the people of Iran and desire to see a democratic Iran that respects human rights;

Whereas Congress supports the Iranian people’s right to freedom of expression and speech; and

Whereas Nowruz embodies the tradition that each individual’s thinking, speaking, and conduct should always be virtuous, and the ideal of compassion for our fellow human beings regardless of ethnicity or religion, and connects the Persian New Year to the values of human rights: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved,