“Newroz is the message of rebirth, harmony, fraternity, and unity of the Kurds to reach freedom and independence,” Talabani said in a statement, hoping that the Kurdish New Year would bring forth opportunities for “peace” as well as “elevating and supporting the Kurdish cause everywhere.”

The PUK leader stressed that “the Kurdish people deserve a dignified life” and urged working together “to achieve lasting peace for the Kurdish people and glory for Kurdistan.”

Newroz, which marks the first day of spring, is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Kurdish communities. The festivities include the lighting of large bonfires and the performance of the traditional Kurdish folk dance, Halparke, where people of all ages hold hands and dance together.

For Kurds, Newroz is not only a celebration of the changing season but also a symbol of victory and rebirth.

In the Kurdistan Region, the town of Akre in Duhok province, widely considered as the capital of Newroz, has prepared over 2,000 torches for the festival with tens of thousands expected to flock to the area to celebrate.

Kurds from all over the Kurdistan Region traditionally gather in the town of Akre to honor the ages-long tradition of lighting fires to welcome the New Year on the first day of spring. 

Hundreds of thousands of people from the Kurdistan Region, as well as Kurdish regions in Turkey, Iran, and Syria, will celebrate the eve of Newroz on Thursday, also symbolizing a day of freedom from tyranny and resistance.