Jean Lambert, the Green Party MEP for London, will be speaking at a major Kurdish New Year celebration taking place in Trafalgar Square this Saturday 14 March. The event will start at 12pm and it is expected to attract over 25,000 people. There will be singers from Turkey and Iraq, talks from high profile Kurdish and UK politicians and traditional Kurdish dancing.
Newroz – which means ‘new sun’ or ‘new day’ – marks the beginning of the Kurdish New Year, and the feast of Kawa the Blacksmith who, according to legend, liberated Kurds and many other nations of the region. It is the largest festival of Kurdish, Turkish, Turkish Cypriot and Iranian communities in the UK.
Kurds fled to Britain in large numbers about 20 years ago, mostly from Iraq and Turkey, to escape the violent suppression of their right to assert their own identity, language and culture. Marking Newroz, or new year, is not just a calendar date but a political act, because until recently Kurdish Newroz was forbidden in Turkey.
Jean, who has worked with the Kurdish community in London for many years, and who frequently highlights their human rights situation on political platforms, said:
"I am delighted to be celebrating Newroz at this wonderful event in London. The Kurdish community makes a vital contribution to the social fabric of our city, running successful businesses, standing for office with local councils, and organizing special events, like this, to celebrate their vibrant culture.
"Alongside the Kurdish people, I will continue the struggle for justice, democracy and equality, raising their situation with political leaders. This week we’ve seen a step forward with the European Parliament’s explicit recognition of specific language rights for the Kurdish people, including for elected officials.
"I wish all Kurdish people in London and around the world a very happy Newroz and I trust that the coming year will bring progress towards lasting peace and democracy."
The event in Trafalgar Square will take place from 12-6pm on Saturday 14 March and Jean Lambert MEP will be speaking at 4.45pm.
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Notes for Editors
There are Kurdish regions in Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria, and people from all those regions are represented in London. Over 50,000 Kurds now live in London, with many from Turkey living in Hackney and many Iraqi Kurds in Hammersmith.