Whole host of events to mark 3-day Nawroz festival

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Information and Culture on Monday announced that the upcoming Nawroz festival would be celebrated for three straight days across the country.

The festival, which marks the new Persian year, would be celebrated by arranging agricultural, industrial exhibitions, theatre shows, music concerts across Kabul besides other programmes in Qargha, Badam Bagh, Kart-e-Sakhi, Bagh Babur, Shah Shaheed Shrine, Bibi Mahro and Wazir Akbar Khan areas and the Kabul cricket stadium.

Musadiq Khalili, the acting Information and Culture Minister, told Pajhwok Afghan News that a new commission comprised of representatives from his and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Kabul Municipality had been formed to make arrangements for the festivities.

“Because of the variety of functions, it has been decided to celebrate Nawruz for three days,” he said, adding the festivities would be the same as previous years.

Khalili said officials in northern Balkh province, where many people gathered from across the country to visit the Hazrat Ali mausoleum, had also been tasked with making arrangements for the celebrations.

Games, concerts and other programmes would be held in Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital where dignitaries from Kabul are expected to attend the functions, he said.

Nisar Ahmad Habibi, a senior official at the Kabul Municipality, said to better organise Nawroz festivities in Kabul, authorities had met twice at the Ministry of Information and Culture and at the Badam Bagh area. Several departments have been given responsibilities in this regard.

Habibi added some 150 stalls would be arranged for exhibitions of agricultural and industrial products. “On the first night, we plan to organise fireworks on the Wazir Akbar Khan hill. We hope people will enjoy.” A tree plantation campaign would also kick off as part of the festivities.

hg/ma/mud

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