Nouruz, Newroz, Nauroz. Spring Festival at the Humboldt Forum

The Nouruz Festival – also known as Newroz, or Nauroz – has marked the beginning of spring for over 3,000 years. It is celebrated at the spring equinox on 20 or 21 March. The name means “New Day” and symbolizes renewal, the awakening of nature, and the return of light.

Around 300 million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz along the Silk Road, including in Iran, Afghanistan, Kurdish regions, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and parts of the Balkans and the Caucasus. The festival represents the unity of cultures and has been part of UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage since 2009. In 2010, the United Nations declared March 21st as International Nowruz Day.

At the Humboldt Forum – especially in the Museum of Asian Art and the Ethnological Museum – cultural traditions, festivals, and everyday practices from many world regions are presented. These include countries and cultural areas where Nouruz is deeply rooted, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. In doing so, the Forum provides a vibrant setting to experience the diversity and significance of this traditional New Year and spring festival.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Look forward to a diverse program full of music, dance, conversations, culinary discoveries, and activities for the whole family.

Musical programme

Featuring singer Cengîz Yazgî, the group Orkèstar with Parham Alizadeh, the transcultural ensemble Tschiltan, the Uzbek music group Dilfuza Qobilova, as well as the celebrated Afghan singer Wajiha together with Farid Rastagar.

Dance groups from different cultures

Experience powerful Kurdish dances by GovendaKI, expressive choreographies from the Persian region by Rahaavi, and dynamic dances from Afghanistan performed by the group HEWAD.

Workshops and creative activities for all ages

Young and older visitors alike can enjoy a variety of hands-on activities – from building kites (Afghan and Uzbek) to henna painting, braiding hair, and making flower crowns. Participatory formats bring together art, storytelling, and collective creation. A special highlight is the paper puppet theater “Nowruz on Paper” with Karim Asir, the internationally known Afghan puppeteer and actor – widely recognized as the “Afghan Charlie Chaplin.”

For children aged six and up, author Zilan Sarah Kößler and illustrator Clara Gilod offer a reading and workshop based on their children’s book JINA, which tells the story of the courageous young Kurdish-Iranian woman Jina Amini, who stood up against injustice and sparked a global movement for freedom and women’s rights.

Food and Market

Enjoy traditional specialties, discover handmade crafts at the bazaar stands, and take a break at the tea stall.

Over the course of nearly a year, representatives of various associations and committed individuals collaborated, developed ideas, and co-created the program. This festival is a warm invitation to everyone to celebrate renewal.

PARTICIPANTS

Integrationshelfer Meehr e. V. is a non-profit association founded in Berlin in 2019 by the Dari- and Persian-speaking diaspora.
The purpose of the association is to promote the integration of refugees, especially those of Iranian and Afghan descent. The association organizes events, workshops, and counseling services that promote exchange and cooperation between different cultures.

The GAFCA – German Association for Central Asia e.V. promotes cultural exchange, cooperation, and solidarity between Germany and Central Asia. Founded in 2018 by people from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, the association is committed to sustainable projects in Central Asia, particularly Afghanistan. Another goal is to promote information, international understanding, and genuine cultural understanding in Germany, based on tolerance and the desire to learn from one another.

Rojavida – Education and Culture for Children is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting musical and artistic education for children and young people in disadvantaged regions of the world and to education and cultural participation in Germany.
Rojavida – Bildung und Kultur für Kinder

Mittani Kunst- und Kulturzentrum is primarily committed to promoting Kurdish art and culture.
Bênav Mustafa represents the two associations Rojavida and Mittani. He is studying philosophy and history to become a teacher and is interested in topics such as colonialism, racism, migration, Islamism, and Kurdish history and language. He is a freelance interpreter and translator and currently works in the field of education policy at Ibim e. V. He has been committed to raising awareness of the Kurdish perspective for seven years and, together with a group of friends, founded Rojavida – Education and Culture for Children e. V. in 2025. He has also been active as a curator, organizer, assistant, and supporter at several events, including the annual Kurdish Art and Culture Festival in Berlin, and at the Kurdish Exile Literature event at the Literaturhaus Berlin.

ArtistAsMuse is a collaborative painting duo consisting of Corinna Gothe and Alexandria Anderson, which has been in existence for eight years.

Yekmal e.V. is a non-profit migrant self-help organization in Germany and a recognized provider of youth welfare services. The association runs two bilingual kindergartens (Kurdish/German) and is a shareholder in Yekmal Akademie gGmbH, which promotes education, language, and research. Yekmal e.V. is also the sponsor of the BEFaN network, which promotes multilingualism. The association is committed to the education and social participation of families, in particular through the promotion of the Kurdish language and culture as well as multilingual language development. Yekmal e.V. works for an open, inclusive society and supports people with a migration and refugee background so that they can lead a self-determined life in Germany.

San’at – Forum for Art, Culture, and Science e.V. is a non-profit association based in Berlin dedicated to promoting contemporary Uzbek art and culture as well as intercultural dialogue between Uzbekistan and Germany. As an international cultural platform, San’at initiates exhibitions, concerts, conferences, educational programs, and cultural encounters, and connects artists, scientists, and cultural institutions from both countries.

- free of charge
- Foyer, Ground Floor, Hall 2, Hall 1, Ground Floor
- Part of: Family Matters