Newroz 2023

In 2023 Newroz will be celebrated in many places with the slogan “Every Newroz always freedom” and “Freedom with the fire of Newroz.”

The song “Lift the Newroz Torch” was introduced in Amed (video). Mihemedê Pîrosî wrote the lyrics. The song was performed by the Mesopotamia Cultural Centers Collective (Kolektîfa Navendên Çanda Mesopotamiayê).

In Europe, this year’s Newroz celebrations run from March 12 to April 2, in Germany, France, the UK, Denmark, Canada, Finland, Italy, Sweden and Norway. The schedule is here. A Medya News article contains links to many videos.

In Berlin, the Kurdish artists Neşwan Heriki and Özgür Ruha, before performing in Oranienplatz, affirmed that Newroz in Berlin would be in solidarity with earthquake victims and urged Kurdish people to attend and stand together during Newroz. Among the other performers in Berlin were Nevşan, Özgür Işık, Bengi Agirî, Beser Şahin, Hozan Aydın, Şivan Perwer, and Hani Mojtahedy.

In Bakur, Kurds came out to celebrate Newroz. Large crowds  called for peace, freedom, and justice. The celebration in Wan was enormous, with Aryne Kom performing. In Istanbul, hundreds of thousands of people attended. HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan told the crowd, “Newroz is the day when Kurds, Turks, Armenians, Assyrians, Laz, Bosnians, Pomaks, those who live under oppression, those who are exposed to violence, injustice and unlawfulness, all identities and all faiths raise their voices together against oppressors, evil, violence, unlawfulness.” At the end police charged the crowd and detained 224 people, among them a disabled child and several lawyers, for displaying banners, calling for Kurdish freedom, and supporting the HDP.

In İzmir province, Peace Mothers and Deniz Poyraz’s mother Fehime Poyraz lit the Newroz fire. Deniz Poyraz was a young woman who was shot dead in 2021 during an armed attack on an HDP office in İzmir. Local HDP co-chairs Berna Çelik and Çınar Altan, along with Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP) head Erkan Baş, took the stage and emphasized the importance of the upcoming elections.

In Şanlıurfa, the HDP’s provincial branch canceled Newroz celebration this year due to the deadly earthquakes and floods.

In Rojhelat (Iranian Kurdistan), in Saqqez, Mehabad, and Dewalan, Newroz celebrations turned into anti-regime protests. In Dehgolan, Iranian security forces fired on a Newroz celebration. According to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the Iranian regime attacked and killed 40 Kurds celebrating Newroz in Rojhelat. In Marivan and Shino, Iranian authorities arrested three Kurds for organizing Newroz ceremonies.

In Rojava, when Kurds celebrated Newroz in Jinderes in Afrin, militants from the Turkish-backed al Sharqia shot and killed four Kurdish men.

In the United States, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosted a reception for Newroz at the White House. In France, politicians attended Newroz reception organized by the French Democratic Kurdish Council (CDK-F) at the Lutetia Hotel.

In London, thousands attended Youth Newroz, led by the Revolutionary Youth Movement (TCS). Speakers affirmed that Ocalan’s paradigm offers hope to people in the Middle East. The walls of the Kurdish Community Centre were hung with pictures of Ocalan, Mazlum Dogan, and the Paris martyrs. Flags of the YPG, YPJ, PKK, and KCK were displayed. The event was dedicated one of those martyrs, Mir Perwir. The band Koma Zelal, Zozan Zudem, and Omid Sharifi performed, followed by a traditional halal dance performance. A Newroz fire was lit, and young people danced.

In Liverpool, the celebration opened with a speech by British Kurdish People’s Assembly Co-Chair Miraz Serhat. For the rest of the spectacular event, you can read the account by ANF here.

Here is a gorgeous album of photos from Newroz 2023 in different parts of Kurdistan.