Happy Novruz Holiday to the People of Azerbaijan

Dear Compatriots!

I congratulate all of you with Novruz Holiday; wish each one of you robust health, happiness, and success.

Devoted to their traditions for millenniums, our nation celebrates Novruz Holiday every year. Reflecting the ancient idea of unbreakable unity of people with nature, the Novruz Holiday is scraped into the memory of our nation forever. The worthily celebration of Novruz traditions - an unparalleled gift of our forefathers to present generations -, in our days is the exceptional service of Azerbaijani nation to our centuries-old history.

Considered as treasures of high morality, the Spring Holiday fully embraces the richness of our national-cultural wealth. This holiday possesses great spiritual power, while strengthening the feelings of mutual friendship, sincerity, solicitude, and fraternity between the people and ensuring the establishment of peace and favorable relations in society. In our rapidly changing world, in the times when global processes advance on a large scale, the Novruz Holiday, with all its symbols and meanings, is a striking example of our nation's full devotion to historical-cultural heritage. The inclusion of the Novruz Holiday into the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, as a holiday that embraces the highest qualities, is a laudable act.

The celebration of the Spring Holiday with mass festivals and ceremonies on a state level and the welcoming of Spring with endless joy in every corner of our homeland is one of the achievements bestowed upon us by our national independence. Our compatriots, who live abroad and whose hearts beat with Azerbaijan, celebrate this dear holiday together with us. I hope that devotion to national values and the feeling of solidarity will further unite all Azerbaijanis for the sake of our Motherland.

I wish you all a holiday spirit of spring freshness.

Happy Novruz Holiday!

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku. 18.03.2010.