BAGHDAD — Celebrations for religious occasions and holidays in Iraq have lately focused on common grounds of belief among citizens of Iraq. The purpose is to calm tensions caused by ethnic and sectarian conflicts or struggle over power and wealth among political elites.

Nowruz, which represents the new year for Iranians and Baha’is and marks the end of a 19-day fast, took place March 21. The Baha’is have launched a “social dialogue initiative” to establish a ground of dialogue and coexistence in all components of Iraqi society.

The initiative stems from the despair felt in the country due to ongoing conflicts and religious intolerance. The initiative encourages and develops social dialogue in a way that enables Iraqis to work together to reach across the aisle, defuse discord and establish grounds of dialogue and coexistence.

This social dialogue initiative is the first overt activity by the Baha'is in Baghdad after a decadeslong ban on their activities. “This is the first time in 40 years Baha’is could celebrate overtly. Our celebration comes finally after a lifelong ban on our activities under a decree issued by the Revolutionary Command Council during the Baathist era in 1970. Back then, we could not celebrate this holiday with the rest of the components of the Iraqi society,” Diaa Yaaqoub, a Baghdad-based Baha’i, told Al-Monitor.