(CUL) TURKISH CULTURE MINISTER, U.S. ENVOY CELEBRATE NEVRUZ.

ANKARA, Mar 21, 2009 (TUR) -- The Turkish culture minister and senior U.S. envoy in Turkey celebrated the Nevruz on Saturday.

Turkey's Culture & Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey attended the Nevruz celebrations at the Ataturk Culture Center in the Turkish capital of Ankara and jumped over the Nevruz fire.

"Any one who is working with soil and expecting warmer days celebrates this festival, in a sense this festival is the festival of the sun," Gunay said during the celebration.

Gunay also defined Nevruz as a festival which made people abandon wars, which brought people together, and which made people feel their longing for peace, solidarity and brotherhood.

Before the celebrations at the Ataturk Culture Center, minister Gunay received a delegation of the Joint Administration of Turkic Arts and Culture (TURKSOY) at his office.

The delegation included representatives from Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Bashkortostan, Gagauz Place, Azerbaijan, Tatarstan, Hakas and Altai Republics.

Nevruz, the world's oldest festival which is celebrated by festivities under various names in many communities, is being celebrated in the Turkish World as "the exit of Turks from Ergenekon" and "the beginning of the new year in Turkish calendar with 12 zodiac divisions represented by animals" since 5000 years.

Some accept this day as the day God created Earth, some as the day Prophet Noah stepped on Earth after the Flood. Some accepts it as the day first human-being is created, and some as the messenger of Spring.

All dwellings are cleaned for the Nevruz which is believed to be the day when everyone's fate is determined and the day when all diseases, evil, misfortunes, and troubles disappear. Various games are played, and special meals are cooked to mark the Nevruz. After eating the meal together, people exchange greetings with each other for a happy new year. Then, they visit graves of their beloved ones. Those who offended to each other, are reconciled. People extend a helping hand to the poor, the forlorn, and the elderly. Young people wishing their dreams to come true, jump over a Nevruz Fire.

-EXIT FROM ERGENEKON-

In accordance with a common belief in the Turkish World, Nevruz is considered as the day when the Gokturks departed from Ergenekon and obtained their independence. In Ergenekon Epic of Ebulgazi Bahadir Khan's famous work named "Secere-i Turk" (Genealogy of Turks), it was told that the Turks who had to live in a valley surrounded by high mountains for 400 years, left the valley when spring started, returned to their homeland, and gained their independence. Therefore, March 21 symbolizes the independence day. During Nevruz celebrations, especially the Turks living in Central Asia, read out Ergenekon Epic to express the importance of Nevruz to the new generations.

According to another belief, March 21, the beginning of the 12-animal Turkish Calendar, symbolizes refreshment of the nature, and beginning of spring. Snowdrops which bloom in these days, are called as "Nevruz Flower". Babies who are born in Nevruz, are given the first name of Nevruz.

(BRC)

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)