Novruz During War: An Ancient Spring Festival and Modern Geopolitics

This year in Azerbaijan, spring officially began on March 20 at 13:45 Baku time (UTC+4), when the spring equinox occurred, marking the arrival of the Novruz holiday.

Every year on the day of the spring equinox, families across Eurasia gather around tables decorated with candles, painted eggs, and green wheat sprouts. Children jump over small bonfires in courtyards, elders exchange sweets and blessings, and entire communities celebrate the symbolic arrival of spring.

This holiday is called Novruz, and its tradition predates many of the states that celebrate it — and today it carries significance far beyond the seasonal rotation of the Earth.

Spanning territories from Iran and Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan, Turkey, and parts of the Balkans, Novruz has become not only a cultural festival but also a subtle marker of identity and geopolitics in a region shaped by shifting borders and competing historical narratives.

“Novruz is one of the rare traditions that connects several civilizations at once — Persian, Turkic, and Caucasian,” says Togrul Juvarly, an analyst at Turan Analytical Service. “It does not belong to any one nation, yet each nation in the region sees it as part of its heritage.”

Today, the holiday is celebrated by more than 300 million people. In 2009, UNESCO recognized Novruz as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and a year later the United Nations declared March 21 the International Day of Novruz, elevating the ancient ritual to the status of a global cultural symbol.

But this year, as bonfires were lit across Azerbaijan and neighboring countries, the festive atmosphere was overshadowed by the shadow of war.

The escalation of the conflict involving Iran, including military strikes by the United States and Israel, has cast a pall over celebrations in parts of the region — particularly in the Republic of Azerbaijan, where cultural and humanitarian ties with Iran run deep.

Rituals Older Than States

Novruz existed in the region long before Islam and Christianity. Historians trace its origins to ancient agrarian societies that organized their lives according to natural cycles and the spring equinox.

Preparations begin several weeks before the holiday and follow a carefully preserved ritual structure centered around the four elements of nature.

In Azerbaijan, the month leading up to Novruz is marked by four festive Tuesdays dedicated to water, fire, wind, and earth, symbolizing the awakening of the natural world.

“These rituals reflect an ancient cosmology,” says Zardusht Alizade, an expert on Iran and the Middle East. “They embody the belief that the universe comes alive each spring through the interaction of the elements.”

One of the most visible rituals is jumping over fire — a symbolic act of purification in which participants leap over small bonfires while reciting phrases intended to transfer misfortune and illness into the flames.

Another key symbol is seməni — green wheat sprouts grown at home in the weeks leading up to the holiday. The sprouts represent fertility, renewal, and hope for a prosperous year.

The traditional Novruz tray, known in Azerbaijan as khoncha, is decorated with candles, colored eggs, nuts, and sweets, each element carrying symbolic meaning related to rebirth and life.

Children take part in playful customs such as papag atdı (hat-throwing), leaving hats or small bags at neighbors’ doors to be filled with sweets, while costumed characters known as Kosa and Kechal perform in folkloric acts that blend humor with ancient seasonal rites.

A Festival of Identity

In the decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Novruz has taken on renewed significance across the former Soviet space.

Governments in Central Asia and Azerbaijan have embraced the holiday as a symbol of cultural revival and historical continuity after decades during which many traditional celebrations were discouraged.

“Novruz became a way for post-Soviet states to reconnect with deeper layers of their cultural identity,” noted Marlene Laruelle, an expert on Eurasian cultural policy at George Washington University.

In Azerbaijan, the holiday is both a family celebration and a national event, marked by public festivals, concerts, and large gatherings in the historic Old City of Baku.