ISLAMABAD: The Iranian embassy and the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Thursday celebrated the Persian new year, Nowruz, and 70 years of relations between Iran and Pakistan with a music show.

A five-member Iranian band, Shabdiz, was especially called by the Iranian embassy to celebrate the new year with their fellow countrymen residing in Pakistan and with Pakistanis.

Nowruz means the new day and marks the beginning of spring according to the Iranian solar calendar.

Because the day is about saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring, the stage was decorated with fresh flowers, candles, fresh and dry fruits, cookies, sweets, grass and an aquarium with colourful fish.

The band started with upbeat Persian songs which remained popular with the audience, despite the language barrier. All songs had loud and vibrant music and one was about the relationship between a mother and her child.

The band dedicated the song to all the mothers in the audience. The song was about a little boy who went to the river with his mother and was afraid of drowning.

His mother encouraged him to swim and told him he has nothing to worry about when he is with her.

Speaking on the occasion, Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honordost said Nowruz is not exclusive to Iran and is celebrated in many countries, including Pakistan as Alam Afros, meaning the arrival of a new day.

He said Nowruz is about starting fresh and that it also invites countries to change and progress, to strengthen friendships and bonds.

The strengthening of bonds between Iran and Pakistan is a matter of great pleasure, he said, and that the stronger bond can be seen in the more frequent visits by high-ranking officials of the two countries, the 50pc increase in trade last month etc.

He said Nowruz of this year has an unprecedented characteristic as this year, Pakistan and Iran are also celebrating 70 years of relations.

PNCA Director General Syed Jamal Shah said Nowruz is a celebration for welcoming spring.

“People around the world celebrate the festival with the hope that this spring and new beginnings will fill their whole year with peace and prosperity. Some of us have forgotten this festival, but Iran is continuing this beautiful tradition,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, a member of the audience, Shamim Siddique said the music was very lively and that she had enjoyed it even though she does not understand Persian.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2018