Erbil launches clean-up campaign ahead of Newroz picnicking

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Volunteers and officials from the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil province on Saturday morning launched a clean-up campaign in areas frequented by picnickers, ahead of the Nowroz holiday. 

Volunteers collected tons of trash left behind by picnickers along Dilopa and Kasnazan Heights, two popular picnic areas in the eastern Erbil province, under the “Do not throw away” campaign. 

Erbil Governor Omer Khoshnaw urged citizens to avoid littering in picnic areas and to cooperate with municipality workers to keep the sites clean.

To mark Newroz and other national events on the Kurdish calendar, the city is holding a nine-day long festival, part of which is cleaning up picnic sites.

With the arrival of the Spring season, thousands across the Kurdistan Region visit the countryside to picnic, particularly during Newroz—the Kurdish New Year celebrated on March 21.

As a result of heavy picnicking, hundreds of tons of trash are left behind in these areas. 

To celebrate the national holiday, members of the diplomatic community from over 80 countries have arrived in the Kurdistan Region capital, at the invitation of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

The premier will host a dinner reception at Mount Korek on Saturday evening for the diplomatic community.