Deputy co-chairs of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) parliamentary group, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit and Sezai Temelli, introduced a bill to declare March 21—the day of the Newroz festival—as an official holiday. The justification emphasizes the historical and cultural significance of Newroz, which is celebrated by many peoples across the Middle East and traditionally marks the beginning of spring.
“For Kurds, Newroz carries an additional symbolic meaning. The festival represents freedom, resistance, and renewal,” the proposal states. It also refers to the legend of Kawa the blacksmith, who, according to tradition, rebelled against the tyrant Dehaq and whose overthrow was celebrated with great fires. These fires remain a symbol of liberation to this day.
International recognition of the festival
The deputies also point out that Newroz is now celebrated by millions of people in Turkey. Large public events are held every year in many cities, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants. Traditional clothing, music, and the lighting of fires are among the central elements of the celebrations.
The bill also recalls that Newroz was repeatedly banned in the past and that celebrations were met with severe and sometimes deadly state violence. It further highlights the festival’s international recognition: Newroz is included in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and was declared the “International Day of Nowruz” by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010.
Contribution to social peace
The initiators of the bill argue that recognizing March 21 as an official holiday could also contribute to social peace.
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