Afghan Ambassador, HE Wahidullah Waissi, and the Embassy team in Canberra, celebrated 21st of March 2018, as the first day of Nawroz 1397 and hosted more than 200 visitors from the diplomatic corps, the ACT government, Australian public departments including DFAT, academia, civil society, military, students and local Afghans.  

Ambassador Waissi welcomed the participants and together with the embassy team, gave a tour of events and activities organized on first day of New Year 1397. The activities were including Afghan carpet exhibition, kite flying, servicing Haft Mewa, Saffron tea, Kulcha-i Nawrozi, Jelabi, Samanak, egg fighting, exhibition of Afghan traditional outfits, and exhibition of Afghan artist Khadim Ali paintings.

Nowroz was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2010, and inscribed on the Representative List of the intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a festival promoting peace and prosperity. Celebrated across the world by Afghan, Iranian and Kurdish communities and diaspora, Nowroz unites people of different countries and speaking various languages in great festivity each year.