Statement by New Democrat Leader Nycole Turmel for Nowruz

On behalf of the New Democratic Party of Canada, I wish you and your family a happy Persian New Year, and a year filled with health and well-being.

Persian New Year, or Nowruz, which coincides with the vernal equinox, is a celebration of light, renewal and life.

Nowruz has been celebrated for more than 3000 years. It was added to Canada's national calendar in 2009, and it is included in the UN's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

I hope that you spend the next few days with your loved ones. These times shared with family and friends are precious and give us inspiration throughout the year.

Happy New Year!