More than 300 million people are marking the start of a new year—not on January 1, but on March 20. This new year arrives at the precise moment of the spring, or vernal, equinox and is called Nowruz.

A rare calendar alignment is bringing together two of the most widely observed celebrations across the Middle East and beyond, as Eid al-Fitr and Nowruz fall within hours of each other in March 2026, ...