The Embassy of Tajikistan in Islamabad hosted a vibrant and memorable celebration titled International Navruz Holiday “Spring of Friendship” last night, gathering a distinguished audience of diplomats, media representatives, and cultural enthusiasts.
At the opening of the event, Sharifzoda Yusuf Toir, Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to Pakistan, warmly welcomed all guests. He expressed heartfelt thanks for their attendance, which added colour and joy to the evening. He also extended a special acknowledgment to the cultural group from Shahi Qila, Lahore, for their participation in the festivities.
Highlighting the significance of Navruz, Ambassador Sharifzoda Yusuf Toir noted that the festival has been celebrated on this land for centuries, symbolizing peace, renewal, and cultural unity. He proudly mentioned that the women from the Embassy of Tajikistan devoted four days to preparing traditional Navruz dishes to offer an authentic taste of Tajik culture to the attendees.
He expressed gratitude to the media and journalists, encouraging them to further spread the message of Navruz through their platforms. He highlighted that Navruz is celebrated across many Central Asian countries including Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Iran — with Iran recognized as the central hub of Navruz celebrations. The Ambassador further praised the organizing team for decorating the venue beautifully, setup exhibition, stalls and creating a festive atmosphere.
The Ambassador of Iran and the Ambassador of Turkmenistan also addressed the event. During their speeches, they highlighted the significance of Navruz from their countries’ perspectives and congratulated everyone on the occasion.
Earlier, Ambassador Sharifzoda Yusuf Toir and Deputy Head of Mission Saidjon Shafiev alongwith Defence Attache personally welcomed all the guests at the Embassy.
Later, an engaging cultural performance by the group from Shahi Qila, Lahore, entertained the audience and added to the spirit of the event.
Several notable dignitaries graced the event with their presence, including Head of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Turkmenistan Atadjan Movlamov; Ambassador of Iran Dr. Reza Amiri Moghadam; Ambassador of Iraq Hamed Abbas Lafta; Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov, High Commissioner of Bangladesh Md. Iqbal Hussain; Ambassador of Finland Hannu Ripatti; Ambassador of Jordan Maen Khreasat; Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan; Ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert P. Khorev; Ambassador of Belarus Andrei Metelista; Ambassador of Austria Andrea WICKE, Ambassador of Syria Dr Rameez Alraee, Ambassador of Sudan, Ambassador of Türkiye, Acting High Commissioner of Sri Lanka A Christy Ruban, Acting Ambassador of Indonesia and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Palestine Nader Al Turk, among others.
The International Navruz Holiday “Spring of Friendship” celebration at the Embassy of Tajikistan beautifully reflected the universal values of peace, friendship, cultural heritage, and mutual respect, strengthening bonds among the international community in Islamabad.
