IRNA � Nowruz is celebrated in a spirit of friendship, reconciliation and harmony, said the UN Secretary-General on Thursday in a message for the International Day of Nowruz, observed on 21 March.

'For more than 300 million people across the world, Nowruz is about new beginnings: the arrival of a new year; the first day of spring; the renewal of nature,' said Ant�nio Guterres, according the official website of the United Nations.

He added, 'For all of us, it is a chance to reaffirm our commitment to peace, human rights and human dignity; to fostering dialogue and mutual respect; to protecting the planet and building a future that leaves no one behind.'

Wishing the best to all who are marking this observance, he said, 'The International Day of Nowruz is celebrated in a spirit of friendship, reconciliation and harmony.'

Based on the joint recommendation of Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in 2010, Nowruz was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.