This year’s Newroz, the Kurdish New Year celebrated by millions of Kurds, will be observed at hundreds of locations in Turkey, with 57 central points highlighted. The festivities, under the slogan “Time for Freedom and Victory” (Rabe dema azadî û serkeftinê ye), will begin on Friday in the Karakoçan (Dep) district of eastern Elazığ (Xarpêt) province, featuring traditional fire-lighting ceremonies across various regions.
Two metropolitan cities, Istanbul and Diyarbakır (Amed), are poised for major gatherings on 17 March and 21 March, respectively. Leyla Zana, a prominent Kurdish politician, will participate in the Diyarbakır Newroz on 21 March, where she will deliver a speech. “We call our people to the squares to respond to modern Dehaks,” Engin Cengiz, an artist at the Mezopotamya Cultural Centre (MKM), said, indicating that this year’s celebrations would demand Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom.
The launch event in Karakoçan, Elazığ, will commence with the Newroz fire at Süleyman Karahan Terminal Square at 13:00 on Friday. Distinguished attendees will include Berdan Öztürk, co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar and Keskin Bayındır, co-chairs of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), and Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, with performances by Koma Hevra and Hediye Kalkan.
“We will celebrate Newroz this election season with the motto of ‘winning’. We will light the Newroz fire against oppression and tyranny,” stated Abdullah Güngen, the co-chair of DEM Party in Şırnak (Şirnex), as preparations for the 17 March Newroz celebrations in Şırnak Vakıfkent neighbourhood continue.
“This year’s Newroz celebrations will also underscore our need for regional and global peace and strengthen the hope for all peoples to live together freely and equally,” remarked Bedriye Kuş, co-chair of the DEM Party in Mersin, highlighting the broader significance of the event.
“These Newroz celebrations will lay the groundwork for a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue,” added Nuri Tan from the Kocaeli Newroz Organising Committee, inviting everyone to the celebrations on 17 March at Darıca’s Millet Garden.
As Newroz 2024 begins across Turkey, it carries with it messages of freedom, democracy and an enduring hope for peace and equality, echoing through the voices of its participants and the warmth of its fires.
Newroz programme across Turkey
15 March
Elazığ (Xarpêt) – Karakoçan (Dep)
17 March
Ağrı (Agirî) – Diyadin (Giyadîn)
Gaziantep (Dîlok)
Bingöl (Çewlig) – Karlıova (Kanîreş)
Hakkari (Colemêrg)
Kars (Qers) – Digor (Têkor)
Şırnak (Şirnex)
Urfa (Riha) – Suruç (Pirsûs), Halfeti (Xelfetî)
Van (Wan)
Istanbul
Bursa
Denizli
İzmir
Kocaeli
Osmaniye
Tekirdağ
19 March
Ağrı – Patnos (Panos), Doğubayazıt (Bazîd)
Ardahan (Erdexan) – Göle (Golan)
Tunceli (Dersim)
Erzurum – Karaçoban (Çad)
Hatay
Kars – Kağızman (Qaqizman)
Mardin (Mêrdîn) – Nusaybin (Nisêbîn)
Muğla
Muş (Mûş) – Malazgirt (Milazgir), Bulanık (Kop)
Siirt (Sêrt) – Eruh (Dihê)
Şırnak – Uludere (Qileban), Cizre (Cizîr)
Urfa – Viranşehir (Wêranşar)
Balıkesir
20 March
Van – Erciş (Erdîş)
Aydın
Batman (Êlih)
Bitlis (Bedlîs) – Tatvan (Tatwan)
Çanakkale
Hakkari – Yüksekova (Gever)
Iğdır (Îdir)
Konya
Manisa
Mardin – Kızıltepe (Qoser)
Mersin
Siirt
Bingöl
Şırnak – Beytüşşebap (Bêşebap)
21 March
Diyarbakır (Amed)
23 March
Hakkari – Şemdinli (Şemzinan)
Muş
Urfa
Ankara
24 March
Hakkari – Çukurca (Çelê)
Adana
Kırşehir
Antalya
25 March
Ağrı
