1- Brief Description of the Element:

Nevruz, a kind of seasonal festival, is composed of the persian words "nev" (new) and "ruz" (day), and means the "new day". This day is considered as the beginning of the year and the spring according to the ancient calendar. Nevruz, the day of March 21st when the sun comes to the zodiacal constellation of Aries; is celebrated in a wide geography from the Balcans to the Middle East with various events as the symbol of the day when the winter ends, when the nature gets alive and when the people reach to the fertility and the prosperity of the summer. The coming of spring is understood by blossom of wildflowers, crocus and iris flower which is called Nevruz flowers. Nevruz Flowers are collected from rural areas, and the coming of Nevruz is acknowledged as good news through children walking around with these flowers on the streets of villages and town. Because the religious, cultural and the social events have accumulated in the history of the societies celebrating Nevruz, mythic explanations and meanings of the festival change. Jumping over the fire, preparing and eating meals special for that day, music and dance are the shared, common features of celebration of Nevruz.

2- Geographical Distribution of the Element:

Nevruz is celebrated nation-wide in Turkey and among communities of Turkey living abroad.

3- Geographical Distribution of the Element:

Recognized as the beginning of farming activities in agricultural societies and animal husbandry in nomadic societies, Nevruz creates an environment where information about nature and the universe is used and a number of practices take place. These practices are performed in the belief that they will bring abundance and blessing. At the same time, they strengthen the feeling of identity between individuals and communities by reinforcing social bonds. Holidays create common cultural ties that bring individuals and communities closer and integrate them, while bringing to light values on the verge of being forgotten and passing them down to future generations. As the beginning of spring, Nevruz symbolizes rebirth and includes such positive sentiments as well-wishing,desire and hope for the future. Nature is not the only thing that is  reborn and renewed with enthusiasm during Nevruz. People also cleanse and rejuvenate themselves physically and spiritually, which leads to rejuvenated emotions and ideas. Therefore, Nevruz represents not only the excitement and joy of a holiday with the rebirth of nature but also the hopes and wishes humans entertain. The Nevruz holiday and celebrations create one of the best settings for transmitting oral culture, the knowledge and experience of nature and the universe as well as community rituals and practices in Anatolia from one generation to the next. When viewed from this perspective, Nevruz is one of the best examples of intergenerational communication. Among the characteristics of the Nevruz celebrations is the fact that the Nevruz celebration area is literally a rainbow of color with vibrant outfits, flying kites, tapping eggs, people gathered around a large fire and jumping over it. Games that focus on bidding winter farewell and welcoming spring are also observed during Nevruz celebrations. One of the common practices that takes place during Nevruz is a type of fortune reading where interpretations of wishes that people make about what they want in the future are given by reading various signs.

4- ICH Domain(s) of the Element: 

 Oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage

 Performing arts

 Social practices, rituals and festive events       ü

 Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe   ü

 Traditional craftsmanship

 Other(s)

1- The Practitioners and representatives of Element:

Nevruz is known by all the people as a heritage transmitted from generation to generation as the arrival of spring and the first day of the new year according to the old Malik Shah Calendar (Jalali Calendar) and celebrated with enthusiasm by all rural and urban communities, groups, and individuals on every 21 March in Turkey.

2- NGO’s Related to the Element:

Communities and individuals about the element have been organized through local NGOs and professional organisations.

1-      Gazi University Turkish Folklore Research and Application Center (TFRAC)

Address: Gazi Üniversitesi, Merkez Kampüsü, Rektörlük Binası, Beşevler, Ankara/Türkiye

Contact: +90 312 2021402 / e-mail address: thbmer@gazi.edu.tr

2-      Ege University Institute of Turkish World Studies

Address: Ege Üniversitesi Türk Dünyası Araştırmaları Enstitüsü  35100 Bornova / İzmir

Contact: +90 232 343 49 22/134/ e-mail address: tdae@mail.ege.edu.tr

3-      Hacettepe University Institute of Turkish Studies

Address: Hacettepe Üniversitesi Türkiyat Araştırmaları Enstitüsü  06532 Beytepe / Ankara

Contact: +90 312 297 67 71/ e-mail address: tdae@mail.ege.edu.tr

4-      Tire Cultural Association

Address: Cumhuriyet Mah. Ortaokul Cad. No:3/3,Tire/İzmir

Contact: +90 232 511 35 04 / e-mail address: seyfullahayvali.aa.tire@gmail.com

5-      Writers Union of Eurosia

Address: Sakarya Mah. Göztepe Sok. 5/A Altındağ/Ankara

Contact: +90 312 311 70 32 /e-mail address: yakupomeroglu@gmail.com

3- Universities and Research Instıtutes Related to the Element:

Accross the country, within course schedules of “Turkish Folklore”, “Antropology”,  Departments of universities studies towards the element have been accomplished. 

1- Past and Current Efforts on the Safeguarding of the Element:

üTurkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) broadcasts celebrations in Turkey and abroad on live stream. TRT also broadcasts informative documentaries, cartoons and shows on Nevruz.

üSince the inscription of the element on the RL, several ministries of Turkey such as Ministry of National Education and MoCT have been working in coordination to make efforts to enhance and raise awareness in schools.

üThe Turkish National Lottery Administration annually organizes thematic lotteries on Nevruz.

üThe General Directorate of Post and Telegraph Organization annually issues thematic postage stamps on Nevruz.

üIn honor of the inscription of the element in the RL, Nevruz celebrations were organized at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and in Strasburg in 2010 and in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations in New York and Washington in 2011. Again in 2015, Nevruz celebration was organized in UNESCO Headquarters by UNESCO National Commission of Turkey, UNESCO Permanent Delegate of Turkey, TURKSOY (International Organisation of Turkic Culture) and Yunus Emre Institute with wide participation.

üUsing a short  documentary and promotional  film, namely "Nevruz" was published in 2013 and sent to the Ministry of National Education in order to reach children at primary schools. It was also sent to the NGOs, Universities and experts.

üIn 2013, Nevruz Celebration was organized in the province of Eskişehir with the wide participation by Nevruz celebrating States all around the world. These states were represented not only by their stage performances but also by their promotional stands and performance spaces in which some representative Nevruz rituals were performed. Following the events, pannels and conferences were held in Eskişehir.

üMinistry of Culture and Tourism had been organized Poetry, Composition and Painting Competitions among children towards the element until 2011. The outcomes of these organisations had been published as books, and introduced at exhibitions.

üAs the common heritage of Azerbaijan, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkey, Nevruz was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

üTRT her yıl çeşitli illerde ve yurtdışında gerçekleştirilen Nevruz kutlamalarını naklen yayınlamaktadır. Bunun yanında, unsur hakkında bilgilendirici belgeseller ve şovlar yayınlamaktadır.

üUnsurun Temsili Liste’de yer almasından bu yana Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı ve Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı gibi çeşitli kurumlar okullar kapsamında unsur hakkında farkındalık arttırma çalışmalarında bulunmaktadır.

üMilli Piyango İdaresi her yıl Nevruz temalı çekilişler gerçekleştirmektedir.

üPosta ve Telgraf Teşkilatı her yıl Nevruz temalı pul bastırmaktadır.

üUnsurun Temsili Liste’ye kaydettirilmesinin onuruna, Paris’te bulunan UNESCO Genel Merkezinde ve Strazburg’da 2010 yılında, New York’da bulunan Birleşmiş Milletler Genel Kurulu binasında ve Washington’da 2011 yılında Nevruz kutlamaları düzenlenmiştir. Yine bu kapsamda, 2015 Nevruz etkinlikleri Paris’te yer alan UNESCO Genel Merkezi’nde, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü, UNESCO Türkiye Milli Komisyonu ve UNESCO Daimi Temsilciliğimiz işbirliği ile yoğun katılımla gerçekleştirilmiştir.   

ü2013 yılında “Nevruz” isimli tanıtıcı belgesel film yayımlanmış, unsurla ilgili STK’lar ve üniversitelere ek olarak, çocuklar üzerinde farkındalık arttırmak amacıyla Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı’na da gönderilmiştir.

ü2013 yılında TÜRKSOY tarafından Eskişehir ilinde, Nevruz kutlayan ülkelerin geniş katılımıyla Nevruz etkinlikleri organize edilmiştir. Bu ülkeler, yalnız sahne performanslarıyla değil aynı zamanda kendi ülkelerinde Nevruz kutlama biçimlerine yönelik tanıtım standları ve ritüellerine yönelik performans alanlarıyla temsil edilmiştir. Etkinlikleri takiben, unsur özelinde panel ve konferanslar da yine Eskişehir’de gerçekleştirilmiştir.

üKültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı tarafından 2011 yılına kadar her yıl Nevruz etkinlikleri kapsamında çocuklara yönelik ödüllü Resim, Şiir ve Kompozisyon yarışmaları düzenlenmiş, elde edilen veriler kitap olarak yayımlanmış ve sergiler vasıtasıyla tanıtılmıştır.

üGeniş bir coğrafyada kutlanan Nevruz, 2009 yılında Azerbaycan, Hindistan, İran, Kırgızistan, Pakistan, Özbekistan ve Türkiye’nin ortak başvurusuyla UNESCO İnsanlığın Somut Olmayan Kültürel Mirasının Temsili Listesine kaydedilmiştir.

2- Action Plan for Safeguarding of the Element

     No

     Yes    ü

Name of the Safeguarding Plan: Nevruz Safeguarding Action Plan

Date of Preparation and Adoption: 21 January 2014

Stratejik Aims:

Strategic Aim 1: With the purpose of safeguarding and transmission of the element to the next generations, educational activities will be held especially for young and children,

Strategic Aim 2: Organizing awareness raising activities including the projects for improving dialogue between bearers of the element living at different regions 

Strategic Aim 3: Supporting the scientific studies, researches and publications

1- Selected Bibliography:

"Turk Dunyasi Nevruz Ansiklopedisi" (“Encyclopaedia of Nevruz of the Turkic World"), Ed.: Prof. Ocal Oğuz, Ankara, 2004.

"Nevruz III. Uluslararası Bilgi Şöleni", 6 cilt, Atatürk Kültür Merkezi Başkanlığı-Fırat Üniversitesi, Elazığ .     "Turk Dunyası Nevruz Siirleri Antolojisi" (“Anthology of Turkic Nevruz Poems"), Ed.:Nilgül Aytuzlar and others, Ankara, 1991;

"Türk Ergenokon Bayramı (Nevruz)", Abdülhaluk Çay, Ankara, 1993.

"Türk Dünyası Edebiyatlarında Nevruz Konulu Şiirler Üzerine Tematik Bir İnceleme", Mehmet Temizkan, Turkish Studies – Türkoloji Araştırmaları, Ankara, S.3, 2007, s.475-488.

"Nevruz III. Uluslararası Bilgi Şöleni", 6 cilt, Atatürk Kültür Merkezi Başkanlığı-Fırat Üniversitesi, Elazığ.

2- Field Researches Focused on Related Community and Groups:                 

     No

     Yes  ü

5- Participation and Consent of Communities and Bearers during to the Preparation of Inventory Forms

The preparation and updating of the inventory form was carried out in accordance with related NGO’s and bearers of the element with their consent and active participation.

Important Note: For any update or adding information for the inventory, please contact with Provincial ICH Boards and Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Research and Training