Newroz celebrations in İzmir, a vibrant city on Turkey’s western coast, saw thousands gather at the Gündoğdu Square this Sunday, uniting under themes of freedom, ecology and democracy.
The event was charged with energy from dawn as participants gathered, vocalising support for the release of Abdullah Öcalan, the incarcerated leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and advocating for a life marked by freedom and leadership.
The commemoration also served as a tribute to Deniz Poyraz, a victim of a fatal armed attack at the office of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in İzmir, memorialised throughout the event with poignant visuals.
The crowd’s slogans, including “Let’s tear down the walls of isolation with the fighting spirit of Demirci Kawa, to create free, ecological and democratic cities. Happy Newroz” and “Long live freedom, death to slavery,” echoed the gathering’s calls for dismantling oppressive structures and fostering an environment of liberty and ecological sustainability.
