The day is known as Sizdah Bedar, literally meaning ‘thirteen out’, which has its roots in the belief that spending time out in nature will chase away bad luck in the New Year, as thirteen represents bad luck in mythology.
Sizdah Bedar has been celebrated for thousands of years in Iran and other Persian-speaking communities in the region and beyond.
The Nature Day is an occasion to raise awareness about preserving the environment too.
However, this year there is a confluence of the New Year and the holy fasting month of Ramadan, when people abstain from eating and drinking in public until sunset.
This is not the first time that Iranians have to make adjustments for Sizdah Bedar. During the Coronavirus pandemic in previous years, they stayed home and refrained from family gatherings.
