Erbil unites for Akitu: culture, history, celebration
Shafaq News/ On Monday, Erbil launched the fifth Syriac Culture Festival to mark Akitu – the Assyrian and Chaldean New Year.Akitu, observed annually on April 1, is one of the oldest recorded festivals in Mesopotamia, with origins dating back to the fifth millennium BCE.
It was historically celebrated by Sumerians and Babylonians as a symbol of renewal and cosmic order.Organized by the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts, the three-day event is taking place in Ainkawa, a Christian-majority district of Erbil, and features traditional crafts, cuisine, and folkloric dances by participants from the Kurdistan Region and Syria.
The term “Akitu” comes from a Semitic root meaning “life.” Variants of the word remain in use in regional languages, including “Rish Shatah” in Sorth, meaning “head of the year.”
Organizers said the event aims to preserve cultural identity and promote heritage through public celebration.Syriacs are an ethnic and religious minority native to parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkiye, and Iran.
They speak Syriac, a classical dialect of Aramaic, and maintain a distinct identity rooted in Christianity and ancient Mesopotamian heritage.
Despite displacement and population decline, Syriac communities continue to preserve their traditions through church life, language, and cultural festivals (like Akitu).
