Navroz 2017: Trump travel ban effects celebrations

This is time in the year for celebration with Nowruz, the Persian news year and first day of spring just days away however, in US the enthusiasm of Novruz is diminished due to Trump Travel ban.

For hundreds of Iranian-Americans in Southern California, who traditionally travel back and forth to be with family for Nowruz, long-held plans and family gatherings have been disrupted because of uncertainty over the ban.

Some of the people in Iran are stuck with their visas cancelled after the Trump administration’s initial travel ban, which meant to bring them in US for Nowruz festivities, beginning on Monday.

So what exactly is Navruz and how important it is for middle-east countries?

Navruz marks the New Year across parts of the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Asia. It can be spelled Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz or Nevruz depending on the region.

It is celebrated in places such as Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Georgia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Iraqi Kurdistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan. 

The exact day of Nowruz is 20th of March but it changes depending upon the exact calculation of when the length of the day and the night are equal.