"Thousands of Kurds celebrated Nowruz in the Turkish city of Diyarbakir on Saturday, marking the first day of spring by reportedly burning 5 tonnes of wood while traditional Kurdish music played. Footage shows young revellers, male and female, performing traditional dances, while others were waving Kurdish flags and watching bonfires burning. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a message and extended his heartfelt congratulations on Nowruz Day to all celebrating in the country, saying, "I wish that the spirit of spring heralded by Nowruz will bring hope to our hearts, peace to our societies, and harmony to our world." "I also extend my warmest wishes for Nowruz to our brothers and sisters in Syria and Iraq, as well as those in Iran who are currently grappling with the problems caused by war. May this meaningful day serve as a beacon for the end of conflicts in our region," the president added. Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which signifies the first day of spring and the revival of life, comes with the vernal equinox (March 21) and goes back over 3,000 years. Nowruz is a cultural and historical holiday for the peoples of Iran, Central Asia, and the Caucasus as well as a national holiday for the Kurds. It was officially inscribed on the UNESCO representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The United Nations officially recognised the International Day of Nowruz in February 2010 via UN General Assembly Resolution 64/253."