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House Hansard - 42

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 21, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 42 - Mar/21/22
Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC)
  • Mar/21/22 2:08:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Canadians of Kurdish, Persian and Central Asian heritage a very happy Nowruz as this week marks the start of their new year. Nowruz is an ancient new year celebration adopted by many Central Asian peoples. For Kurds, this new year will be 2722, and the word “Nowruz” literally means a new year, marking the first day of spring. It is celebrated through a variety of traditions. The Kurds gather in the countryside to light bonfires, which represent passing from the darkness of the previous year into the light of the next. Fire is considered a symbol of triumph in Kurdish mythology. In Kurdistan, Kurds will light fires and fireworks, and they will be heading to the mountains of Akre, considered the home of the celebration of Nowruz. Persians set the haft-seen table and exchange gifts. Other Central Asians also celebrate by planting trees and attending festivities marking the same occasion. On the 13th day after Nowruz, Kurds will go out for a picnic for Sizdah Bedar, celebrated in the new year with family and friends. To all of my Kurdish friends in Canada, I wish them Newroz piroz bet.
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Context: House Hansard - 42 - Mar/21/22
Mr. Ali Ehsassi (Willowdale, Lib.)
  • Mar/21/22 2:13:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to rise today to join other colleagues to wish everyone who celebrated Nowruz a happy new year. Yesterday, thousands of residents in my riding of Willowdale and, indeed, hundreds of thousands of Canadians, joined 300 million individuals around the world, to usher in Nowruz. A 3,000-year tradition, Nowruz is a festive holiday celebrated by Persians, Afghans, Turks, Kurds, Bahá'í, Ismailis, Zoroastrians and many more communities. It was a pleasure for me to join others around the haft-seen table to mark the spring equinox and the promise of new beginnings. Nowruz celebrates renewal, optimism and light, all essential qualities that are necessary at a time like this. May this festival of renewal bring hope to a world that needs it like never before by ushering a new year free from hardship, the pandemic and war. To everyone celebrating, [Member spoke in Farsi] [English]
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