Message from the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, to the people of the Kurdistan Region and Iraqis as a whole, on the occasion of Nowruz

International Nowruz Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010 to promote values of peace and solidarity between and within generations, communities and regions.

With this in mind, I would like to wish you - on behalf of the UN family in Iraq - a happy and prosperous celebration. I sincerely hope that the spirit of Nowruz will continue to be present in Iraq to bridge differences and to promote a collective sense of pride and confidence in the country. After all, Iraq needs a renewed sense of patriotism to re-emerge stronger.

Nowruz Pirozbet.