Speaking at the Newroz celebrations in Newroz Park in Bağlar district, attended by hundreds of thousands of people, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun said that the voice of freedom was rising from the streets of Amed and expressed the hope that Newroz would bring peace and freedom.

Newroz celebrations were held in Newroz Park in Diyarbakır’s Bağlar district under the slogan “Newroz of Freedom and Democracy”. Alongside the Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun, those attending included Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Chairs Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar and Keskin Bayındır, Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan, Democratic Unity Initiative Co-Spokespersons Gülcan Kaçmaz Sayyiğit and Mehmet Kamaç, numerous representatives of political parties and civil society organisations from abroad, and hundreds of thousands of residents.

Co-Mayors greet the crowd

A commemoration was held for university student Kemal Kurkut, who was killed during Diyarbakır’s 2017 Newroz celebrations. Following this, Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Bucak and Hatun took to the stage set up in Newroz Park and greeted the crowd of hundreds of thousands.

Co-Mayor Bucak wished the people of Diyarbakır a happy Newroz and Eid al-Fitr, and expressed the hope that Newroz would bring freedom, peace and unity to all peoples. Co-Mayor Hatun said: “A happy Eid and a happy Newroz to you, Amed — welcome. Amed, today you are not only Amed. Today you are Hewlêr, Sulaymaniyah and Mahabad; today you are Afrin. Today, the voice of Afrin rises through you. Happy Newroz to Afrin. Happy Newroz to Hewlêr, happy Newroz to Mahabad. Today is the Newroz of freedom; today, all cities are in Amed. Our esteemed guests are in Amed today. Welcome to you all. The voice of freedom is rising from the streets of Amed. The ears of the world are turned here — raise your voices. Happy Newroz to the Kurdish people; you honour us with your presence.”

The Newroz celebrations continued following the Co-Mayors’ speeches.