Unity celebrated: Newroz in Kirkuk, Al-Sulaymaniyah
ShafaqNews/ On Thursday, hundreds of Kurds and other ethnic communities gathered inKirkuk and al-Sulaymaniyah to celebrate Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, withtraditional music, dance, and the symbolic lighting of the festival flame.
Asource told Shafaq News Agency that security forces were deployed around Kirkuk’scitadel to ensure a safe environment, pointing out that the event is proceedingsmoothly due to cooperation between security forces and attendees.
KirkukGovernor Ribwar Taha congratulated the Iraqi people and Kirkuk’s citizens,emphasizing Newroz as a symbol of peace. “We must all take the message ofNewroz seriously and open the door to resolving issues,” he stated,highlighting efforts to improve public services.
Meanwhile,participants emphasized the festival’s significance. “Our celebration today atthe citadel is a message of love and peace, reaffirming that Kirkuk remains acity of harmony and coexistence for all communities,” said celebrant Ako Ahmed.
“Newrozis a symbol of victory over oppression,” Bushkhan Abdullah, anotherparticipant, clarified, adding that every year, the flame is rekindled tocelebrate resilience and unity.
In al-Sulaymaniyah,the Newroz celebrations coincided with Ramadan, a holy month of fasting forMuslims, blending festivity with spirituality. Families and tourists gathered,expressing hopes for stability, economic recovery, and a resolution to theKurdistan Region’s salary crisis.
“Today’sevent is a historical, national, and cultural celebration, featuring the lightingof the Newroz flame, performances of folkloric music, and historicalreenactments of ‘Kawa the Blacksmith and Mam Pira,’” Mohammed Mardan, head ofthe Folklore Arts Association in al-Sulaymaniyah, told our Agency, emphasizingthe significance of traditional Kurdish attire in preserving the festival’sauthenticity.
Newroz,marking the first day of the Kurdish new year, falls on March 9 in the Greekcalendar and March 21 in the Western calendar. It is celebrated as a nationaland cultural holiday, symbolizing renewal and unity, with traditions datingback thousands of years.
BeyondIraq, Newroz is celebrated across Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts ofEurope.
