Regional/Cultural Day
Nowruz
The spring equinox is celebrated by Kurds, Turkmen, and some Iraqi communities with the Haft-sin table, bonfires, and the tradition of jumping over fire. In Erbil, the citadel is lit, the bazaar is full, and the Kurdish clothes are elaborate. In Baghdad, the celebration is quieter but present. The equinox is older than any religion in Iraq, and the celebration of spring is older than any government.