BAGHDAD, Iraq – Every year on March 21, Iraqis gather around the ziggurat of Dur-Kurigalzu, the site of an ancient city dating to the 14th century B.C. that is located northwest of Baghdad, to celebrate Nowruz and the first day of spring. Residents from the city's various sects come together to celebrate ancient festivals near structures such as the ziggurat, built by King Kurigalzu, who ruled between 1438 and 1412 B.C. during the Kassites era in Iraq after the fall of the city of Babylon at the hands of the Hittites in 1595 B.C.

The celebration this year was sponsored by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq in cooperation with Iraq's National Reconciliation Commission and was funded by the Dutch and German Foreign Ministries.

Artist Amal Khudair, who celebrated Nowruz in Dur-Kurigalzu, told Al-Monitor that the monument reminds Iraqis that Iraq has been home to glorious civilizations.

Archaeologist Hameed Sabar al-Fahdawi told Al-Monitor, “The ziggurat is particularly important because it is located in Abu Ghraib, an area tarnished by bloody sectarian conflicts." He said that celebrating an ancient festival next to it is a symbolical act that shows Iraqis are still united.