Newroz was celebrated at the Ararat Kurdish Cultural Center in Rome. The celebration, attended by Kurds from Rome and surrounding cities as well as Italian friends, began with the slogans “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, status for Rojava.”
The event began with a one-minute moment of silence for all revolutionary martyrs and continued with greetings from the co-chairs of the Ararat Kurdish Cultural Center to the participants.
The first performance of the program was a lively show by the dance and performance group La Murga, which also included children. Afterward, the Zezi group from Naples took the stage and added a musical atmosphere to the celebration.
Speaking at the event, politician Kemal Aktaş stated that Newroz has symbolized unity and solidarity among peoples for 2,638 years, adding that this tradition has merged with the legacy of revolutionaries such as Mazlum Doğan, Zekiye Alkan, and Rehşan Demirel. Aktaş said that the message of peace and democratic society expressed in Öcalan’s 2026 Newroz call has found resonance in all four parts of Kurdistan.
After the speech, a video presentation about Newroz was shown. Later in the evening, people danced halay accompanied by drums and zurna around the large Newroz fire that was lit. The celebration continued with a stage performance by Ergin Xelikan, who makes the voice of Anatolian Kurds visible.