On the morning of February 14, 2025, the arrival of spring was celebrated in a festive atmosphere under the Bakul tree at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. Dressed in vibrant shades of yellow and orange, people welcomed the season with music, dance, and traditional attire, embracing the warmth and joy of new beginnings. (Photo by Rubel Karmaker/ZUMA Press Wire/Alamy Live News)

In this photo taken Saturday, June 20, 2015, Mahmoud Abdulnabi tries out an oud, an Arabic instrument related to the lute, at his workshop in Baghdad, Iraq. “The oud is different than other musical instruments”, said Abdulnabi, who has crafted ouds played by some of Iraq's best known musicians, many of whom look down from headshots on the walls. “If you feel joyful, it can play your joy. If the circumstances are sad it can play your sorrow and... help to empty whatever is in your chest”. (Photo by Hadi Mizban/AP Photo)