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| Kazakh people erected a ger on Sukhbaatar Square where they held a Nowruz feast in traditional Kazakh clothing |
On March 21, Kazakh people in Mongolia celebrated their traditional New Year, Nowruz. Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the New Year according to the Iranian calendar.
On this day, Kazakh people living in Ulaanbaatar gather on Sukhbaatar square to publicize Kazakh culture, art and tradition. The “Nowruz-2013’ event at the main square attracted many people with their Kazakh gher, traditional foods and dishes, music, dances, games, colorful costumes and even an eagle was there giving opportunity to take photos. Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag and President Ts.Elbegdorj also participated in the Nowruz celebration event. In his Nowruz greeting to Kazakh people, President Ts.Elbegdorj said “Nowruz is an auspicious holiday for Kazakh people to meet relatives and neighbors, respect elders and plan the coming year with good views by reviewing last year’s successes and failures’. He underlined that Bayan-Olgii Aimag, where most ethnic Kazakhs live in Mongolia, holds an important position
in the western region and the aimag’s economic growth was 27.2 percent last year. The president also said that Mongolia supports Kazakh people, highly valuing their contribution to independence, sovereignty and the development of the nation and respects their unique culture and religion.
While attending the Nowruz event on Sukhbaatar Square Prime Minister N.Altankhuyag said that he learned
about the lifestyle and traditions of Kazakh people through his secondary school college and wished Kazakh
people all the best on the occasion of Nowruz. A.Bakei, MP and head of the UB based local council of Bayan-Olgii Aimag noted, “Any nation’s culture and tradition are well preserved in their traditional holidays. Therefore Nowruz was officially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009”.