Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan on April 1 congratulated the country’s Assyrian community on Akitu, the Assyrian New Year, commonly referred to as Kha b’Nissan.

It’s the most important Assyrian national holiday, and its celebration is one of the many links between ancient and modern Assyrians.

Kha b’Nissan was not only the first day of the new year, but it also marked the start of spring.

“I am glad that the Assyrians of Armenia are preserving their national identity, enriching our country with original traditions and giving a unique multicolor to it,” Pashinyan’s statement reads.

Assyrians in Armenia comprise the country's third largest ethnic minority, after Yazidis and Russians. According to Armenia’s 2011 census, there are 2,769 Assyrians living in the country.