How does Kyrgyzstan plan to celebrate this unusual event if the third Saturday of March becomes the day of two significant holidays?
First of all, it is necessary to consider the weekend schedule. This year, March 21 falls on a Saturday; however, according to the new norms of the Labor Code, there is no provision for moving the weekend to Monday. Consequently, Kyrgyzstanis will celebrate the holidays within the framework of the regular weekends.
Representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration stated: "Information about the exact date of the celebration of Orozo Ait has not yet been received. If it also falls on Saturday, there are no plans to move the weekend, even with the occurrence of a double holiday."
The Ministry of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy has already begun preparations for the celebrations, choosing the city of Naryn as the main venue for the Nowruz festivities. The program of events is currently in the approval stage. President Sadyr Japarov is expected to participate in the celebrations.
“If Orozo Ait indeed coincides with March 21, then in the morning, the Ait namaz will take place, as is customary. After that, events dedicated to Nowruz will continue,” the Ministry of Culture's press service explained.
Mars Ibraev, a member of the Council of Ulema, emphasizes that Nowruz and Orozo Ait represent two distinct holidays that do not contradict each other. He noted that Orozo Ait occurs after 29 or 30 days of fasting, depending on the visibility of the moon. This is purely a religious aspect, so the date of Orozo Ait cannot be changed due to state holidays or other events.
“Nowruz, being a state-level holiday, will take place in its usual format. Muslims will celebrate Orozo Ait according to religious traditions. These holidays can coexist, and there is no reason to oppose them,” he added.
It is worth noting that for many years, festive Ait namaz has traditionally been held in central squares in Kyrgyzstan. However, in 2020-2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this practice was temporarily halted. Later, outdoor prayers were resumed, but starting in 2024, it was decided that festive namaz would only be held in mosques.
