The ASEAN Secretariat and embassies of seven member countries of theEconomic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) on March 25 jointly celebratedthe Nowruz festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The3,000-year-old Nowruz festival salutes the first day of spring and theofficial beginning of the New Year by people in the Middle East ,Central and South Asian regions.

The event in Jakartaentailed a photo and handicraft exhibition, folk musical performancesand variety of national cuisines from ECO countries, particularly theseven participating countries -- Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran,Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

Opening the festival, Azerbaijan Ambassador Tamerlan Karayev made abrief explanation of the meaning of Nowruz, which upholds the feeling oftogetherness in one big family, and the Persian traditions regardingthe celebration.

He also appreciated ASEAN guests’ presence atthe event and hoped that ASEAN and ECO will continue organising Nowruzfestival as their tradition.

Deputy Secretary-Generalfor ASEAN Political-Security Community Nyan Lynn, on behalf of the ASEANSecretary General, highlighted the Nowruz significance of strengtheningthe ties among people based on mutual respect and the culture of peaceand good neighbourliness.

Lynn said the organisationof the festival at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters would enable theSecretariat to contribute to further promoting the awareness, mutualunderstanding and cooperation among the peoples of ASEAN member statesand ECO.

He hoped that the close ties between the two sides would grow stronger in the future.-VNA