Night's Watch

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Lore & Background

The Night's Watch formed as a collective of passionate fans who wanted to bring a distinct, intense atmosphere to Inter Miami matches. Drawing inspiration from the club's maritime and fortress-like identity, they position themselves as the 'guardians' of the stadium's energy. Their chants and coordinated efforts are a staple at home games, and they are known for traveling in force to support the team on the road. The group emphasizes unity, loyalty, and creating an intimidating environment for opposing teams.

In Their Own Story

In Azerbaijan, the Gregorian calendar is still in force after Azerbaijan became an independent republic, and 1 January is celebrated as a day off. The day before, 31 December, is also marked as International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis, marking the double anniversary of that day in 1989 when the local residents took down the Soviet–Iranian border in then-Nakhichevan ASSR to reunite with Iranian Azerbaijanis south of the border, as well as the Istanbul-held first World Congress of Azerbaijanis which tackled issues regarding the Azeri expat communities. Celebrations of the holiday are influenced from its Soviet history, at midnight the national anthem is played on all TV stations following the message of the President of Azerbaijan produced by state channel AzTV. In Bangladesh, public celebrations of the Gregorian new year (Pohela Boishakh—the new year of the Bengali calendar—is celebrated in April), also known as 31st night, are centered upon major cities and beaches (including the capital city of Dhaka, and Cox's Bazar Beach), and public events such as parties hosted by hotels. In major cities such as Dhaka, there are restrictions placed on New Year's celebrations for safety, security, and environmental reasons, including bans on fireworks, the flying of lanterns, and organizing outdoor cultural events such as concerts. In Hong Kong, many gather in shopping districts like Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui. A special edition of A Symphony of Lights —the nightly light and sound show conducted across the buildings of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour—is held on New Year's Eve, incorporating a fireworks show. From 1993 to 2014, the Times Square shopping centre in Causeway Bay hosted New Year's Eve festivities featuring the 'lowering' of an apple (via 22 m (72 ft) of signage), in imitation of the ball drop at New York City's Times Square. The countdown event was discontinued in 2015 in favor of other events over the holiday season. In India, New Year's Eve is a blend of modern celebrations and traditional festivities. Metropolitans like Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata have parties, concerts, and colorful fireworks displays as part of the celebrations to attract crowds of people. Goa and Manali celebrate the day with beach parties and winter festivals. So, many people celebrate the festival by praying and performing rituals, since India is a culturally diverse country. New Year's Eve celebrations are the biggest in large cities, and include Goa's beaches and Park Street, Kolkata. Other cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai also celebrate extravagantly. In Israel, New Year's Eve has been observed in Israel since the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1918; it is referred to as Silvester to distinguish it from the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, which falls in either September or October on the Gregorian calendar. It is largely celebrated through social gatherings and parties. The New Year's holiday has historically attracted a negative stigma among parts of the Israeli Jewish population due to its connection to Pope Sylvester I—who is widely considered to have been an antisemite. As a result, celebrations have historically been modest in comparison to other countries. In December 2014, wearables manufacturer Jawbone published a report estimating that only 67.4% of Israelis were awake at midnight on New Year's Eve in 2013, and most people only stayed up as late as 12:45 a.m. IST. During the era of Mandatory Palestine in the early-1930s, promotional material for formal New Year's Eve parties and masquerade balls were targeted primarily towards Arabic and English-speaking residents (by contrast, posters for Hanukkah parties were written in Hebrew). These parties also became popular among German and Austrian Jews that had emigrated to avoid the rise of Nazi Germany. The increasing popularity of Silvester faced criticism from the Orthodox population, including the Hapoel HaMizrachi, who considered them contrary to Zionist values. In 1934, it was reported that the municipal council of Tel Aviv had passed a resolution to ban Silvester parties, calling them 'contrary to the spirit and traditions of the people of Israel'. However, reported efforts to ban the holiday were unsuccessful or left unenforced, and it continued to increase in popularity—especially among secular populations. Following the post-Soviet aliyah, Novy God was imported into Israel by emigrants. The observance was initially obscure outside of Israel's Russian Jewish community, and also faced stigma from those who mistook its traditions for being Christmas or Silvester. In the mid-2010s, a campaign was launched to promote awareness of the holiday among the 1.5 generation of immigrants, as well as non-Russian residents. By the 2010s, public awareness of Novy God had increased; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began to acknowledge Novy God in his holiday greetings, and it became more common for retailers to stock Novy God-related goods and hold promotions for the holiday. In a 2020 survey, 72% of Israelis surveyed stated they were familiar with the holiday, while 54% did not perceive Novy God to be part of the country's culture. In Japan, New Year's Eve is used to prepare for and welcome Toshigami (年神), the New Year's god. Japanese clean their homes and prepare Kadomatsu or Shimenawa to welcome the god before New Year's Eve. Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight in the traditional Joya no Kane (除夜の鐘). The rings represent the 108 elements of bonō (煩悩), mental states that lead Japanese to take unwholesome actions. In most cities and urban areas across Japan, New Year's Eve celebrations are usually accompanied by concerts, countdowns, fireworks and other events. In Tokyo, reveler

Reader's Guide

New Year's Eve is celebrated on 31 December, the last day of the Gregorian year. Celebrations often include dancing, eating, drinking, and watching or lighting fireworks. Many Christians attend a watchnight service. The local time zone determines when the New Year begins; the first places to welcome it are the Line Islands (part of Kiribati), Samoa and Tonga. The last places include American Samoa, Baker Island and Howland Island (part of the United States Minor Outlying Islands). In Africa, traditions vary: in Algeria, families gather and fireworks occur at midnight, with the President's message at 8 PM (AST) on EPTV. In Egypt, fireworks and evening parties are common. In Ghana, church attendance and street celebrations lead to fireworks in Accra and Tema. In Morocco, families eat cake, dance, and laugh. In Nigeria, church and nightclub parties are popular; Lagos Countdown (One Lagos Fiesta) began in 2012. In Rwanda, church services start at 6 pm (Roman Catholic) or 10 pm (Protestant), and the president delivers an address at midnight. In South Africa, a top ten music countdown is voted on, and the number one song plays on all radio stations. In South Sudan, church services begin at 9 pm and end at 12:30 am, with 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' at midnight. In Tunisia, families often eat roast chicken and cake at midnight; the film Choufli Hal is broadcast annually. In Asia, Azerbaijan marks 31 December as International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis, with the national anthem at midnight. In Bangladesh, celebrations center on Dhaka and Cox's Bazar Beach, with restrictions on fireworks and lanterns. In Hong Kong, A Symphony of Lights includes a fireworks show; the Times Square apple drop ran from 1993 to 2014. In India, major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata host parties and fireworks. In Israel, Silvester is observed with parties; a 2014 Jawbone report found 67.4% of Israelis awake at midnight. In Japan, homes are cleaned, Kadomatsu or Shimenawa are prepared, and Buddhist temples ring bells 108 times at midnight.

Did You Know?

• The first places to welcome the New Year are the Line Islands (part of Kiribati), Samoa and Tonga, while the last include American Samoa, Baker Island and Howland Island.
• In South Africa, a top ten music countdown is voted on before 31 December, and the number one song plays on all the country's radio stations.
• In Tunisia, the popular film Choufli Hal is broadcast every New Year's Eve, ending just minutes before the new year.
• In Israel, a 2014 Jawbone report estimated that only 67.4% of Israelis were awake at midnight on New Year's Eve in 2013.
• In Japan, Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight in the traditional Joya no Kane, representing 108 elements of bonō (mental states that lead to unwholesome actions).