The Newroz fire, brought down from the heavens by Prometheus to illuminate humanity’s path, forged by Kawa’s hammer against the tyranny of Dehak, ignited by Mazlum Doğan in resistance to the brutal torture in Amed (Diyarbakır) No. 5 Prison following the 12 September 1980 fascist military coup, and kept alive in the 1990s by Binevş Agal, Rahşan Demirel, Bedriye Taş (Ronahî), Nilgün Yıldırım (Berivan), and Sema Yüce in defiance of the state’s policies of denial, annihilation, and bans, is being welcomed in 2026 across the country with a renewed perspective of revival and transformation. With only days remaining until the Newroz celebrations to be held on 22 March in Yenikapı, Istanbul, under the slogan “Newroz of Freedom and Democracy,” Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Istanbul Provincial Co-Chair Çınar Altan spoke to ANF about the significance of this year’s Newroz.
A call for revival against imperialist-zionist encirclement
Çınar Altan said that 2026 Newroz carries historical significance not only for the ongoing process in Turkey but also in terms of regional and global developments. He pointed to the trajectory of events in the Middle East as evidence of a growing wave of imperialist and Zionist aggression in world politics. Altan said: “The United States–Israel alliance is trying both to eliminate non-state actors and to force states that do not reconcile with it, that move toward different alignments, into submission and to expand its hegemony. It implements this with great audacity and does not in any way refrain from war and destruction. This aggression has manifested itself in the wars and occupations targeting Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and most recently Iran.”
Newroz is a call for resistance for all oppressed peoples
Altan emphasized that the peoples most affected by the imperialist and Zionist aggression spread across the Middle East by the United States and Israel, in disregard of international law, are the oppressed. He stated that peoples are being squeezed between imperialist powers and their own despotic states and continued as follows:“The right of peoples in the region to self-determination has been usurped within this duality, where they are forced to position themselves either alongside imperialist powers or face oppressive regimes. This situation affects, above all, the Kurdish people, as well as the peoples of Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and the Middle East. In particular, the Kurdish people are constantly subjected to scenarios of being aligned with imperialism, oppressed, eliminated, or neutralized. In such an atmosphere, the meaning of Newroz, as a traditional and historical day, becomes much greater. The demand for freedom against this imperialist-Zionist encirclement, as well as against colonial denial and oppression, is already the fundamental demand of Newroz. This fire of rebellion lit against the tyrants has always manifested itself, from Zekiye to Mazlum to Rahşan, as the continuity of resistance for the Kurdish people. In this context, Newroz is also a call for resistance and renewal for all oppressed people who turn their face toward freedom. Just as nature turns its face from winter to spring, Newroz also carries the meaning of revival, initiating a new year of struggle by bringing renewal into life. We are therefore welcoming Newroz 2026 with such a historical responsibility. Rather than expressing the demands of millions verbally in the squares for a single day, Newroz also makes it possible to accumulate strength in order to transform these demands into an organized force.”
We will not settle for crumbs
Çınar Altan stated that beyond the global climate of oppression, 2026 Newroz also holds a crucial place in relation to Turkey’s specific political context. He recalled that a process regarding the resolution of the Kurdish question has been ongoing for more than a year, and noted that one of the fundamental shortcomings in this process is not only the state’s failure to take mutually agreed and anticipated steps, but also society’s inability to become an active subject capable of organizing a new political line on the basis of peace. Altan emphasized that instead of waiting for the state to open space, it is necessary to build an organized struggle that will create this space, and said: “In the end, the state’s sense of necessity to change its traditional approach toward the Kurdish people does not stem from a transformation in consciousness, but from the exhaustion of its policies of denial and war. The state seeks to halt the conflict because it sees its own survival at risk, yet it tends to do so by minimizing the collective national rights of the Kurdish people. In this regard, whether in the context of peace, democracy, or freedom, we will not settle for the crumbs imposed by the ruling powers, the state, or the government. We want more. We have a vision of a greater world, and we stand firmly behind it. This year’s Newroz in Istanbul will be the measure of expressing that stance. If demands for democracy and freedom are embraced on a mass scale, only then will the state and the government feel compelled to take the necessary steps.”
Socialists must be subjects of the process, not spectators
Çınar Altan stated that the gains to be achieved in this process will not only belong to the Kurdish people but will also benefit all oppressed groups and society as a whole. In this context, he stressed that it is crucial for socialists to speak from within the process and to become active subjects. Altan underlined that securing the conditions for democratic politics and the right to organize is important not only for Kurds but also for the working class and all oppressed groups, and said: “The responsibility of socialists is to expose the inconsistencies of the ruling power and to lead the struggle for peace and democracy by unconditionally defending the right of nations to self-determination. In other words, rather than turning their backs by saying that the government has no intention of granting these rights, they must position themselves to win those rights through struggle. After all, one of the fundamental pillars of the theoretical and ideological core of socialism is the unconditional recognition of the right of nations to self-determination. Any approach that does not build a shared struggle with the Kurdish people or other peoples of the region on this basis cannot truly be considered a socialist approach. Therefore, we believe that this is where it is tested whether one speaks from within and takes action. Of course, we will continue to expose the approaches of the government and the state, but we think that socialists must assume greater responsibility and leadership in taking the necessary steps that will serve as an antidote to this reality. Socialists and pioneers of struggle must not remain spectators in this process but become its active subjects.”
Istanbul is one of the spaces where diversity is most reflected
Çınar Altan emphasized that Newroz will be one of the spaces where all these different slogans, forms of exposure, and fields of struggle are reflected with great diversity. Altan said: “On the one hand, the importance of the national unity of the Kurdish people is highlighted, and the voice of peace is raised. On the other hand, there is an emphasis on class struggle against the exploitation of workers and laborers. The coming together of all these elements is, in itself, what defines the Newroz grounds. Istanbul is one of the places where this diversity is most visible. At the same time, Newroz grounds are also a space of rebellion and resistance against all approaches that suppress the sexual orientations of LGBTI+ individuals. Our general call for Istanbul Newroz is this: everyone who is engaged in struggle, whether in the context of the current process or in class-based, identity-based, or national existence of struggles, should come there with their own demands. Expressing those demands in the strongest possible way will create a roadmap for advancing our political struggle.”
We have opened our wings to freedom, we invite everyone
Çınar Altan announced that the Newroz celebrations, which have been taking place across districts and neighborhoods in Istanbul for a week, will culminate in a mass rally on 22 March in Yenikapı. Altan said: “At the Newroz rally to be held under the slogan ‘Newroz of Freedom and Democracy,’ speakers will include DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK) Co-Spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş, Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activist Sebahat Tuncel, Imralı delegation member Çetin Arkaş, and European Alevi Confederation President Hüseyin Mat. There will also be concerts by Suavi and Koma Amed. We expect participation to exceed one million this year. Istanbul truly deserves such a Newroz, and we will make it happen. The symbol of this year’s Newroz is Phoenix. This represents rebirth. It does not mean denying everything that exists and creating something entirely new but rather being reborn from the ashes. In the coming period, we must bring the spirit of revival into life. We want freedom for everyone. We seek genuine freedom both for political prisoners and for all segments of society whose political freedoms have been restricted. In this sense, we have opened our wings to freedom. We believe that we will bring this into life with Newroz. We invite everyone.”