Azerbaijan started celebrations of Nowruz at the National Park of Baku yesterday. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, his wife Mehriban and President of the Heydar Aliyev Fund Leyla Aliyeva took part in the event.
Nowruz marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Celebrations of Nowruz originate from the times of Prophet Zarathustra, about 3700-5000 years ago, long before the birth of Islam. It became an unofficial festival during Soviet times.
