(KRON) — Every year, millions of people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, a 3,000-year-old festival celebrating one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions. Nowruz, otherwise known as the Persian New Year, will now be an official California celebration commemorating the first day of spring.
In Persian, Nowruz translates to “new day.” Its name comes from the celebration of nature’s renewal, which involves bringing friends and family together to participate in unique traditions welcoming the spring season.
Central to the celebration is setting the table with an arrangement of seven symbolic items that start with the letter “s”:
- Somagh (Sumac berries)
- Senjed (dried lotus fruit)
- Serkeh (vinegar)
- Seeb (apples)
- Samanoo (sweet pudding)
- Sabzeh (sprouts)
- Sir (garlic)
“Our state’s vibrant Iranian community contributes to the rich fabric of cultures foundational to California as we know it,” said Governor Gavin Newsom in a press release on Tuesday.
According to the World Population Review, California has the largest Persian population in the U.S. at over 210,000 — accounting for over half of America’s Persian immigrant population.
PERSIAN13_095LH.JPG Shot in the home of Paiman Salimpour is the haft sinn–seven s’s (apple, sumac, special desserts,…)–which is special table arrangements families display during Now Ruz. Haft sinn dates back to Zoroastrian religion.. Shot on 3/8/04 in Orinda. LIZ HAFALIA / The Chronicle (Photo By LIZ HAFALIA/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) 
(Photo by Khoshiran / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by KHOSHIRAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) 
(Photo by Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images)
Despite being known as an Iranian celebration, Nowruz is also celebrated by Afghan, Indian, Iraqi, Kazakh, Pakistani, Tajikistanian, and Turkish cultures, as well as their diaspora in other countries.
“Let us join our friends and neighbors in the Iranian community and all the Californians of diverse backgrounds celebrating Nowruz today, and carry forward its message of living in harmony with nature and each other,” Newsom said.
“Nowruz Day” was officially proclaimed in the state of California on March 19, 2024. You can find a series of celebrations happening in San Francisco here.
