Shab-e Yalda sees growing recognition across US

Shab-e Yalda, the Persian winter solstice festival, is gaining increasing recognition in the US and globally, with official acknowledgements multiplying and public festivities brightening the longest night.

Two years ago, UNESCO added it to its Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and the US State Department has recently begun issuing annual statements for Shab-e Yalda.

“As Iranians around the world gather to celebrate Shab-e Yalda, the longest night of the year, we honor the enduring spirit of the Iranian people. This cherished tradition symbolizes hope and renewal—a poignant reminder that even the darkest nights give way to light,” said Matthew Miller, State Department spokesperson, in a public statement on Friday.

“On this Shab-e Yalda, we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people. Their courage in the face of repression and their unwavering pursuit of freedom inspire the world. We stand with them in their struggle, knowing that the dawn of a brighter future will come,” he added.

Though Western recognition of Shab-e Yalda is relatively new, the holiday, originally celebrated across Central Asia, the Middle East, as well as some parts of Eastern Europe and South Asia, goes back thousands of years, dating as at least as far back as 500 BCE, possibly as early as 7,000 years.

The holiday marks the longest and darkest night of the year, in 2024 falling on 20 December, and symbolises the victory of light over darkness. 

This year, in cities across the US, universities, community centres and municipalities members of the Iranian and Afghan diasporas displayed pomegranates, watermelons, nuts, and other traditional foods, while reading poetry and playing music.

In the last couple of years, Iranians and Afghans in the diaspora have emphasised freedom and women’s rights in their Yalda celebrations.