DUSHANBE, March 12, Asia-Plus -- Work on improvement of Dushanbe in the anticipation of celebrations to mark the Navrouz holiday is progressing.  

Shavkat Saidov, a spokesman for the Dushanbe mayor, said that Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev had passed a resolution obligating relevant municipal services to take measures to improve the aesthetic appearance of the city not later than March 19.  

Besides, the Best District and the Best Mahalla (community) competitions will be held in the Dushanbe.  “The winner of the Best District competition will receive 6,000 somonis in prize money,” said the spokesman, “The four best mahalla in Dushanbe and the best microrayons in the Sino and Firdavsi districts of Dushanbe will receive 3,000 somonis each.” 

24,000 somonis have been provided from the mayor’s reserve fund for this purpose, according to the spokesman.  

Saidov added that main festive events will be held in three parks of Dushanbe on March 21.  On March 22-23, festive events will continue in the microrayons. 

In parallel, various handicraft exhibitions will be held in Dushanbe.   

            Navrouz is the traditional new year holiday of Iranian peoples.  It marks the first day of spring.  Navrouz has been celebrated for at least 3,000 years and is deeply rooted in the rituals and traditions.  Today, the festival of Navrouz is celebrated in many countries that were territories of, or influence by, the Persian Empire: Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, parts of the Middle East, as well as in Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

People start preparing for the Navrouz with a major spring-cleaning of their houses, the purchase of new clothes to wear for the new year and the purchase of flowers.  

Navrouz means the new day and begins from March 21 and coincides with spring equinox.