Diversity Thursday: New Year's festivities around the world

The New Year is on 1 January – but is it?

For many people, January marks the beginning of a new year, accompanied by the possibility of a fresh start, making or reconsidering resolutions, looking forward to longer days and various transition rituals.

For about 10,000 years, calendars have been an important tool for people to organize the passing of time. Their forms and methods vary greatly: for example, observing celestial bodies such as the moon or sun has offered and continues to offer orientation. The lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon, lasting about 29.5 days, resulting in a year of about 354 days. In contrast, the solar calendar is based on the Earth's orbit around the sun and usually has 365 days (or 366 in leap years). It is designed to accurately reflect the seasons.

New Year's Day according to the Gregorian calendar: 1 January 2025

The calendar used in most parts of the world today dates back to the Roman Republic and is based on the solar calendar. 1 January was first established as the beginning of the year by the Roman Senate in 153 BC. Before that, the year began with the beginning of spring in March, which is why the so-called counting months September (from Latin “septem” = seven), October (from Latin “octo” = eight), November (from Latin “novem” = nine) and December (from Latin “decem” = ten) have retained their names to this day. Over time, further adjustments and changes were made, with the reform by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, the first day of the year was then finally set for 1 January.

So today, when we talk about the New Year on the first of January, we are referring to the widespread Gregorian calendar. However, many cultures and religions have different calendar traditions and ways of calculating time, which is why the New Year is celebrated on different days of the year. Here is a selection we would like to introduce to you.

Vietnamese and Chinese New Year: 29 January 2025

The Vietnamese and Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and begins with the second new moon after the winter solstice, i.e. between 21 January and 20 February in the Gregorian calendar. This New Year is one of the most important holidays in many Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, Korea and Mongolia. A year in the lunar calendar is assigned to one of the twelve animals in the zodiac, whose characteristics provide predictions for the year. 2025 is the year of the snake in the lunar calendar. As with us, there are also different regional customs here, which often have the aim of keeping evil away and ensuring good luck for the coming year.

Tibetan New Year “Losar”: 28 February 2025

“Losar” means “New Year” and is the most important festival in Tibetan Buddhism. It is celebrated in February according to the Gregorian calendar, at the time of the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The exact date depends on the lunar cycle. The celebrations last for three days. Traditionally, Losar is celebrated as a birthday, so that everyone turns a year older on that day, regardless of their actual day of birth.

Nowruz festival: 21 March 2025

“Nowruz”, which means “new day”, takes place at the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and is based on the solar calendar. Celebrated since at least the 6th century BC, it is of particular importance in the greater Central Asian region, along the Silk Road, in Iran, northern Iraq, Afghanistan, among the Kurds, and also in parts of the Caucasus and as far as India. Nowruz symbolizes the victory of good over evil and joy over sorrow. Due to its historical significance, it has been recognized as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.

Thai New Year “Songkran”: 13–15 April 2025

Songkran is the Thai New Year according to the lunar calendar and is celebrated in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It used to take place at the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, but has been postponed to 13-15 April due to the precession of the Earth's axis. In 2023, this festival was also recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. During the festivities, water plays an important role, symbolizing the cleansing and disposal of past burdens.

Islamic New Year “Muharram”: 27 June 2025

The Islamic New Year follows the lunar calendar. According to the Islamic calendar, 27 June 2025 marks the beginning of the year 1447. This date was chosen because it marks the start of the Islamic faith, when the Prophet Mohammed migrated from Mecca to Medina. This New Year's Day is a day of remembrance of the emigration.

Jewish New Year “Rosh Hashanah”: 23 – 24 September 2025

In Judaism, the annual calendar is based on the lunar calendar. However, to align with the solar calendar, leap years with an additional month were introduced. The Jewish year 5785 begins on the first of Tishri (the name of the month) and the starting point of the year is considered to be the day on which, according to Jewish belief, the first human being was created. Traditionally, Jews attend synagogue and gather with family and friends on Rosh Hashanah. Eating sweet foods symbolizes a sweet new year.