Nowrooz in Tadjikistan

I am in Duchanbé, Tadjikistan to cover the Nowrooz festival. Nowrooz was originally the Persian New Year. As the celebration preceeds Islam, it is forbidden in Iran today, although most people celebrate it privately at home. Nowrooz is probably the most important holiday in any country which was part of the Persian Empire, all the way to Kazakhstan. But the holiday has been often falls victim to politics. Nowrooz was illegal here during the Soviet Union.

However, there are a lot of Iranian journalists here because Akhmadinajad will arrive in a couple of days. But they aren't covering the festivities. On the 25th, they will celebrate International Nowrooz here in Dushanbe, with 600 foreigners from some 30 countries. Many heads of state will be here including from Afghanistan and Pakistan. We are trying to get interviews with all these important leaders.