ULAN BATOR, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The annual Nowruz, or "Spring New Year", celebrations opened in Sukhbaatar Square here Thursday, showcasing the unique Mongolian Kazakh grasslands culture.
Prime Minister Norov Altanhuyag, who attended the event with other leaders, said Nowruz was not only a Kazakh festival, but a national holiday.
He hoped Nowruz would further enrich Mongolian grassland culture and bring a beautiful spring dream for steppe nomads.
Altanhuyag, accompanied by Mongolian Kazakh councilor Barker, listened to traditional Kazakh music and was shown Kazakh customs inside a felt yurt.
An exhibition of Kazakh women's embroidery works and clothing was held in the square the same day and a "tambura rhyme" concert was held at Central Cultural Palace.
Mongolia's Kazakh population mainly live in Western Bayan-Ulgii and Khovd provinces. Bayan-Ulgii annually holds mass displays of falcon teams and other activities to celebrate Nowruz.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization listed Nowruz as a human intangible cultural heritage in 2009. As a symbol of cultural heritage and long-standing traditional peace, it plays an important role in strengthening friendly relationships between nations.
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