Binghamton celebrates Kurdish New Year by raising Kurdish flag over city hall

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The City of Binghamton honored the Kurdish community by raising a Kurdish flag over its city hall. Mayor Jared Kraham also joined members of the Kurdish community on Friday to celebrate Newroz (Kurdish New Year).

“We celebrated Newroz, we raised the Kurdish flag above city hall,” Mayor Jared Kraham told Kurdistan 24. "We also recognize that in Binghamton, the Kurdish community has contributed greatly to the vibrancy and diversity of our city, and made a difference here in Binghamton."

Kraham also said that the Kurdish community “allies with the United States of American and fought terrorism, and we exchanged cultures between the two sides in different parts of the world.”

This was the first time in two years that the Kurdish community celebrated a flag raising at city hall due to the pandemic.

Newroz is the oldest national holiday celebrated by the Kurds. Both inside and outside the Kurdish borders, Newroz is celebrated on Mar. 21 with various traditional festivities and rituals.

Although Newroz is a national holiday for Kurds, many peoples in the region, including Iraq, also celebrate the annual event.