Amid a time of "sadness and anxiety" in the world due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed hope that the festival of Nowruz brings harmony and celebration of common humanity.
In his message on the occasion of International Day of Nowruz, observed on March 21, Secretary-General Guterres said every year, Nowruz is marked as a day of new beginnings, when "we step into a new year with hope and joy. We celebrate the renewal of nature and the first day of spring."