Traditions of Middle East
Ramadan, hospitality of coffee and dates, Shabbat, Nowruz and the hajj. 195 traditions on EveryParampara so far.
🇮🇷 Isfahan, Iran and 3 morePersian gardenباغ ایرانی
An ancient tradition of creating walled, geometric sanctuaries of shade and flowing waterCraft
🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi Arabia and 2 moreBay'ahبَيْعَة
An Islamic oath of allegiance pledged to a ruler or spiritual guideCeremony
🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and 4 moreMajlis
A traditional sitting room and community assembly for hospitality and civic counselEtiquette
🇮🇶 IraqMudhifالمضيف
A traditional reed guest house kept by the Ahwari people of southern Iraq for ceremonies and hospitality.Home
🇰🇼 KuwaitDewaniya
An evening gathering and reception central to Kuwaiti social, business, and civic lifeEtiquette · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaArdahالعرضة
A traditional Arabian group dance of facing lines, drums, poetry, and swordsPerformance
🇮🇱 IsraelYom HaZikaronיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן
Israel's national day of mourning for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.Ceremony
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarQatar National Dayاليوم الوطني القطري (Al-Yawm al-Waṭani al-Qatari)
A national holiday in Qatar marking the unification of the peninsula under Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.Ceremony
🇸🇦 Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaSaudi National Dayاليوم الوطني السعودي
An annual public holiday in Saudi Arabia marking the 1932 unification of the kingdom.Ceremony
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreNewrozنەورۆز
A Kurdish spring festival and new year celebration marked by bonfires, dance, and the lighting of fires.Festival
🇹🇷 Edirne, TurkeyKırkpınar
A three-day Turkish oil wrestling contest near Edirne, held each June since 1360Game
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 1 moreLand Dayيَوْم اَلْأَرْض (Yawm al-Ard)
A yearly day of remembrance for Palestinians marking the 1976 protests against land seizures.Ceremony
🇹🇷 Van, Turkey and 5 moreChildren's Day
An international observance supporting youth welfare, education and children's rightsCeremony
🇱🇧 Beirut, LebanonLebanese Independence Dayعيد الاستقلال اللبناني
Lebanon's national day, marking the end of French mandate rule in 1943Ceremony
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi Science Festival
An annual science festival in the United Arab Emirates with hands-on workshops and showsFestival
🇮🇷 Susa, IranSusa weddings
A mass royal wedding held in 324 BCE to unite Macedonian and Persian nobilityCeremony
🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, Israel and 5 moreTel Aviv International Student Film Festival
A week-long gathering in June where student filmmakers from around the world screen their work, attend workshops, and mePerformance
🇦🇪 Sharjah, United Arab EmiratesSir Bu Nair Festival
An annual maritime gathering celebrating seafaring and island conservation in SharjahFestival
🇨🇾 Limassol, CyprusWine Festival of CyprusΓιορτή του Κρασιού
An annual autumn celebration of winemaking, folklore and food in Limassol, CyprusFestival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Cultural Festival
An annual sixteen-day arts and heritage festival held in Qatar's capitalFestival
🇱🇧 Beirut, LebanonBeirut Prideفخر بيروت
An annual LGBTQIA+ march and festival in Lebanon advocating for decriminalization and visibility.Festival
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesSheikh Zayed Festivalمهرجان الشيخ زايد
An annual cultural and heritage festival held in Al Wathba, Abu DhabiFestival
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Children's Day: Schekinov Alexey Victorovich, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Yom HaZikaron: אבישי טייכר, CC BY 2.5, source
- Qatar National Day: Mohamod Fasil, CC BY 2.0, source
- Saudi National Day: Faisal Arif, CC BY 4.0, source
- Ardah: Abodi009, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Majlis: Abū Zayd ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Zayd, CC0, source
- Persian garden: dynamosquito, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mudhif: Hassan Janali, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain, source
- Kırkpınar: anonymous Greek artist, ca. 1809, Public domain, source
- Lebanese Independence Day: Adib Ibrahim, Public domain, source
- Beirut Pride: Beirut Pride, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Susa weddings: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival: Adam4896, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Land Day: Lata66, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wine Festival of Cyprus: George M. Groutas, CC BY 2.0, source
- Newroz: Salar Arkan - سالار ارکان, CC BY-SA 4.0, source