Kurdish Nowruz celebrations drew large crowds in the Syrian capital Damascus on Saturday, marking a rare public display of Kurdish cultural expression in the city.
Hundreds of Kurds gathered in the city under the slogan "Let us make Nowruz a new starting point for building a democratic and prosperous Syria", with events held at Al-Fayhaa Club in the Dummar Project area and the Sports City in the Mezzeh district.
Participants wore traditional Kurdish clothing and raised flags and cultural symbols, marking the holiday as a symbol of renewal and freedom while reinforcing cultural heritage.
The celebrations come as efforts continue to integrate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syrian government institutions, a process that has coincided with a more visible Kurdish presence in the capital.
Clashes last January between Syrian government and the SDF ended after a ceasefire agreement stipulating the latter's integration into the Syrian state.
The Kurdish National Council’s (KNC) local branch in Damascus also held a Nowruz event in the university city, attended by officials and members of the public.
Nemat Dawood, a member of the council’s presidential body, said in a speech that Nowruz represents "a festival of freedom and renewal" and carries "deep historical and human significance for the Kurdish people".
The event was attended by the deputy minister of culture, alongside a delegation from the KNC and members of its general secretariat, as well as Syrian Education Minister Mohammad Turko, who is of Kurdish origin, in a sign of official government engagement with the celebrations.
Festivities included artistic and cultural performances highlighting Kurdish heritage, with traditional songs, dance and folk displays.
Under the Assad regime, such displays and use of the Kurdish language were banned and tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds were deprived of their citizenship.
However, in January current Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa signed a decree recognising Kurdish identity and Kurdish as a national language.
Nowruz, meaning "new day" in Persian, marks the Kurdish and Persian New Year on 21 March. The ancient festival symbolises renewal and spring, and is celebrated by Kurds, Iranians and other peoples across the Middle East and Central Asia.
In a separate statement, the Assyrian Democratic Organisation expressed hope that the holiday would bring "goodness and peace to all peoples", stressing its importance in promoting coexistence.
Meanwhile, authorities in Aleppo said they were investigating an incident during Nowruz celebrations in which an individual deliberately brought down the Syrian flag.
The Internal Security Command in Aleppo province said it was following the incident "with great concern", adding that the act violated laws and undermined state sovereignty.
It said the national flag represents "a symbol of the country’s unity and dignity, and any attack on it constitutes a violation of the law and warrants legal accountability".