On March 19, 2025, the Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace at American University in Washington, D.C., held a vibrant celebration of Newroz, the Kurdish New Year. This event brought together students and community members to honor the significance of this cherished holiday.

Yerevan Saeed, Barzani Scholar In-Residence and Director of the Kurdish Initiative for Peace, opened the celebration with an inspiring message. “We come together not just to mark the arrival of spring, but to celebrate renewal, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the Kurdish people,” he stated.

During his address, Saeed provided a brief history of Newroz, emphasizing that it represents more than just a new beginning. He described it as a powerful symbol of freedom, unity, and hope. “The story of Kawa the Blacksmith, who stood up against tyranny and led his people into the light, reminds us all that the fight for justice and dignity is timeless,” he added. “That same spirit of courage and solidarity continues to inspire Kurds around the world today.”

Yesterday, the @AU_SIS Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace hosted its annual Newroz reception to celebrate the New Kurdish Year 2725 and mark the arrival of Spring. The event welcomed people from diverse cultures and backgrounds to celebrate the New Year. pic.twitter.com/P31YA8aKqg

— Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace (@KurdishSIS) March 20, 2025

The event drew a large audience of students and staff members who listened intently as Saeed elaborated on the significance of the Kurdish New Year. “Newroz is not just about history – it is about joy, culture, and community. It is about coming together to share music, food, and laughter, to honor our traditions, and to strengthen the friendships that connect us across backgrounds and borders,” he noted.

Sirwan Kajjo, a Barzani Peace Fellow at the Department of Politics, Economics, and Governance at the School of International Service, American University, also shared insights about the Kurdish experience in Western Kurdistan (northern Syria) under the former Assad regime, focusing on how Kurds were denied the right to celebrate Newroz.

Kajjo highlighted the year 1986, which holds special significance for him as it marks his birth year. For the three million Kurds in Syria, however, it represents a pivotal moment in Kurdish history. “On March 21 of that year, a group of young, discontented Kurdish men and women protested in front of the presidential palace in Damascus after Ba’athist authorities banned them from celebrating Newroz,” he recounted. “Their peaceful demonstration was met with violence. A 19-year-old Kurdish man, Sulaiman Adi, was shot and killed by presidential guards, and many others were wounded.”

Kajjo explained that then-President Hafez al-Assad – fearing a broader Kurdish uprising – quickly declared March 21 a national holiday. However, the Ba’athist regime designated it as Mother’s Day instead of acknowledging it as Newroz. Despite this attempt to strip it of its Kurdish identity, it was still seen as a symbolic victory for Syrian Kurds. Yet, recognition did not translate into freedom – nearly every year, Kurdish Newroz celebrations continued to face restrictions and violent repression.

To conclude his speech, Kajjo shared a short excerpt from his mother’s soon-to-be-published memoir, which offers insight into the political significance of Newroz in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the cultural and social dynamics of the time:

“When I was a child in the late 1950s, Newroz was celebrated in secret. As soon as March 21 arrived, men and boys would gather in a house and secretly celebrate Newroz. I remember that my brothers would attend those secret Newrozcelebrations. But since women and girls did not go, we were itching with curiosity. We also wanted to attend and see for ourselves what Newroz was and how it was celebrated.”

Newroz serves as a reflection of diversity and coexistence, reminding the Kurdish people that cultures are strongest and most beautiful when they embrace one another. The celebration not only marks the arrival of spring, but also reinforces the values of unity and cultural heritage that are vital to the Kurdish community.