Shafaq News/ Kurds across Iraq and Syria celebrated theNowruz this week, a centuries-old tradition marking the arrival of spring andsymbolizing renewal.
ABC News reported that this year's celebrations reflect apivotal turning point for the Kurdish people. The Kurdish-led Syrian DemocraticForces (SDF) recently signed a ceasefire agreement and committed to eventuallymerging with the Syrian army. Additionally, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK),which has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkiye, declared a ceasefire inresponse to calls from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, urging membersto lay down their arms.
In Akre, Kurdistan Region, over 88,000 people gathered tocelebrate. Volunteers climbed the town's steep hills, carrying flaming torchesthat illuminated the mountainsides, creating a stunning visual spectacle.Traditional Kurdish music, folk dances, and vibrant displays filled the air,underscoring the deep cultural pride and unity of the Kurdish people
Hozan Jalil, a Kurdish man who traveled from Batman in Turkiye,to Akre shared with ABC News his cautious optimism about the peace process."I hope it won’t end in regret, and that our Kurdish people won’t bedeceived or cheated," he said, adding that for him, this year'scelebration symbolizes "the point of achieving freedom for all Kurdishpeople."
The Nowruz festivities also extended beyond Iraq. In Syria,the event was publicly celebrated by the Kurdish community in Damascus for thefirst time in over a decade, following the fall of former President Bashar Al-Assad’sregime. Kurds gathered in Shamdeen Square, waving Kurdish flags alongsideSyria’s new three-starred flag. Yet, despite the festive atmosphere, manyremain cautious about the future, particularly in light of the new temporaryconstitution, which promises equality but does not explicitly recognize Kurdishrights, the report noted.
In Turkiye, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an participated inthe Nowruz celebration in Istanbul on March 21, 2025. During the event, hedelivered a speech emphasizing the significance of Nowruz as a day of unity andbrotherhood. He also highlighted its cultural and political importance, callingfor solidarity among the Turkish people.