The declaration for the Newroz celebrations in Turkey, the Kurdish New Year and harbinger of spring, was announced in Diyarbakır (Amed) on Sunday. This year, the celebrations are to take place in hundreds of places, with 57 central events to be held.
The announcement was made by a coalition of Kurdish and democratic organisations in Turkey, including the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), the Free Women’s Movement (TJA), the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and the People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM). Key speakers at the event included DTK Co-chair Berdan Öztürk, DEM Party Co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, DBP Co-chair Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar and TJA activist Dilan Güvenç. Öztürk read out the declaration in Kurdish, emphasising the collective aspirations for freedom and unity of the Kurdish people.
Key points of the declaration
The declaration highlighted the historical significance of Newroz as a symbol of resistance and renewal for the Kurdish people and others in Mesopotamia. It articulated the struggles against oppression, colonialism and genocide to define the nature of the Kurdish struggle for justice and freedom against all forms of oppression.
This year’s Newroz has the theme of liberation and victory and calls for the freedom of the leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, who is seen as the key to the liberation of the Kurdish people and a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. The declaration also stressed the importance of Kurdish national unity and the role of Newroz in mobilising support for these causes.
Cultural and political significance
Newroz is portrayed as a beacon of resistance against discriminatory ideologies, with the declaration asserting that Newroz is not just a Kurdish festival, but a universal symbol of the struggle for freedom and equality.
The text calls for a collective stance against persecution and the pursuit of Kurdish national unity, especially under the current global conditions, which the declaration describes as similar to a third world war.
The declaration outlines a series of events leading up to and including Newroz, starting with the lighting of the first fire in Karakoçan district of Elazığ (Elezîz) on 15 March, followed by celebrations in various cities, culminating in Diyarbakır on 21 March.
The 2024 Newroz Declaration serves as a powerful call to action for Kurds and allies worldwide, emphasising themes of resistance, unity and freedom. It seeks to transform Newroz from a celebration of resistance to one of liberation, advocating for the release of Öcalan and the recognition of Kurdish rights and identity.
