The Kurdish people are celebrating Nowruz in 2026 under unusual and challenging circumstances, as the holiday coincides with the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, unfolding against a backdrop of regional conflict.
Observed from March 21 to 23, Nowruz, marking the Persian New Year, is being celebrated with gatherings, picnics, and traditional bonfires. Across Kurdish communities, the holiday remains a powerful symbol of renewal and identity.
“Festivities take place across the Kurdistan Region, with hundreds of thousands of Kurds participating in traditional dances while wearing colorful national attire,” Rudaw, a Kurdish media outlet, notes.
Nowruz is widely observed across Iran and beyond. It is usually a time for family, renewal, and fresh beginnings. It falls on the spring equinox, and is seen as a celebration of a new day for millions in Iran and in the Persian and Kurdish diasporas.
But for many Iranians this year, there’s little joy in festivities.
While widely celebrated, the holiday holds particular cultural and political significance for Kurds throughout the Middle East and diaspora communities worldwide.
Celebrations shaped by conflict and security threats
This year’s celebrations are taking place amid ongoing conflict involving Iran, affecting Kurdish regions across neighboring countries. In Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, festivities are occurring under the shadow of security threats and disruptions linked to drone and missile attacks.
Iranian-backed militias have launched more than 300 drones and missiles at the Kurdistan Region, contributing to closures and heightened tensions during the holiday period.
In Syria, Kurds marked Nowruz in Afrin, a region in the country’s northwest where many Kurdish residents were displaced in 2018.
Afrin: return after years of displacement
Afrin, a predominantly Kurdish area of low-lying hills and mountains, remained largely untouched during much of the Syrian civil war before coming under the control of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG).
Turkey opposed the YPG, arguing it was linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party “terrorists.” In 2018, as Ankara expanded its influence in northern Syria, Turkish forces and allied Syrian National Army factions launched an offensive in Afrin, prompting the large-scale displacement of Kurdish residents.
Years later, following the fall of the Assad regime and Turkey’s withdrawal from the area, some Kurds have begun returning to their homes.
In Afrin, Nowruz celebrations have resumed, carrying deep symbolic meaning for returning residents. Kurdish flags have reappeared in public, reflecting a shift from previous years. However, reports indicate that tensions and occasional clashes with Syrian security forces have persisted.
Nevertheless, the situation marks a significant change compared to recent years.
Syria signals cultural shift
In Damascus, Nowruz was also marked by official events, reflecting what authorities describe as a broader shift in cultural recognition.
Syria’s SANA state media reported that “Syria marked Nowruz with a cultural event at the Damascus Opera House, featuring performances and official statements highlighting cultural diversity and recent shifts in recognition of the occasion.”
According to the report, “the program included seven staged performances by the Kurdish heritage troupe ‘Ashti,’ combining dance and narrative elements. The main piece explored the origins and symbolism of Nowruz, with narration by actor Abeer Shams al-Din and participation by artist Jwan Hasso and singers Alan Murad, Rostu Ramadan and Ivana Mohammad.”
SANA added that “media supervisor Idris Murad said the production blends storytelling and dance to present the story of Nowruz in a contemporary format. He added that the troupe presents an annual performance reflecting Kurdish cultural traditions within Syria’s broader cultural landscape.”
Officials framed the event as part of a wider effort to embrace diversity. “Culture Minister Mohammad Yassin Saleh said the celebration marks a shift in Syria’s cultural scene, noting that Nowruz, once restricted, is now recognized as a national occasion reflecting the role of the Kurdish community in cultural and scientific life.”
The European Union’s chargé d’affaires to Syria, Michael Ohnmacht, described the event as “a symbol of a new Syria,” SANA reported. Nowruz is now recognized as an official holiday in the country.
Kurdish diaspora marks Nowruz in Europe
Beyond the Middle East, large-scale celebrations are also taking place across Europe.
According to Kurdistan 24, a major Nowruz event in Bonn, Germany, is expected to draw tens of thousands of Kurds from across the continent. The report noted that the “Bonn Nowruz festival is expected to draw tens of thousands of Kurds from across Europe.”
A 100-meter Kurdish flag is expected to be displayed during the event, underscoring the scale and symbolic importance of diaspora celebrations.