On behalf of the American people, I offer best wishes to all those around the world celebrating Nowruz. For Iranians, Afghans, Kurds, Azeris, and people across Central Asia, Nowruz marks the beginning of a new year full of promise and possibility. Families and friends will gather to rekindle old ties and make plans for the future. And in the United States, hundreds of thousands of Americans will honor their heritage and history. The spring equinox is a time of reflection and renewal across cultures and continents – signifying the hope of rebirth, health, and prosperity. This is an opportunity to remember how much we have in common -- the aspirations we all share for a peaceful and prosperous future – and to reaffirm the human rights and fundamental freedoms that are our universal birthright. As the Iranian poet Simin Behbahani writes, “we are all parts of the same body, similar in essence.” On this Nowruz, we honor those common bonds.
As we look to the year ahead, let us redouble our efforts to promote mutual understanding and respect. Working together, we can meet the common challenges and seize the shared opportunities of this new year and this still new century.
Eid-eh Shoma Mobarak.
