Erbil hosts cultural festival to mark Newroz, Uprising

Government officials, members of the political parties, civil society, and women’s organizations, took part in the inauguration ceremony, which began with a theater performance.
A music performance held at Newroz and Freedom Festival in 2022 in Erbil. (Photo: Erbil Governorate)
A music performance held at Newroz and Freedom Festival in 2022 in Erbil. (Photo: Erbil Governorate)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s capital, Erbil, is hosting a nine-day Newroz and Freedom Festival to mark the Kurdish new year and 1991 uprising. 

The 13th annual festival began on Saturday and will close on the evening of the Kurdish new year, March 20. The festival was kicked off by the unveiling of a statue of the first female resident of Erbil, Khaja Bawa, who was killed during the city’s uprising against the former Saddam Hussein regime on March 11, 1991.

Government officials, members of the political parties, civil society, and women’s organizations, took part in the inauguration ceremony, which began with a theater performance.

The festival will include several performances and exhibitions, representing various ethnic and religious communities, including musical bands, and art and photo displays to showcase the Kurdish uprising.

The Governor of Erbil, Omed Khoshnaw, announced in a press conference on Friday that a number of the capital’s cultural figures will be recognized for their outstanding work and experience. 

The cultural events attract many foreign tourists, including those from neighboring countries.

Beginning on March 5, 1991, in the city of Ranya, the popular uprising of 1991 included a series of protests by the Peshmerga and civilian population against the former Iraqi regime’s military, administrative, and Ba’ath party offices.

The month of March represents several historical and national holidays for the Kurdish nation, which is celebrated and recognized throughout the Kurdistan Region.