ISTANBUL - For the 2022 Istanbul Newroz to be celebrated in Yenikapı, citizens residing in distant districts of İstanbul are pouring to Yenikapı to celebrate Newroz. Despite the cold weather, the citizens are experiencing a festive enthusiasm with their colorful clothes.

 

Hundreds of thousands are expected to participate in the Istanbul Newroz celebrations, which will be celebrated this year in Yenikapı with the slogan "Dem dema serkeftinê ye" (Now is the time to win). The preparations for the celebration, which was organized under the leadership of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), were completed weeks ago. The celebration, which will start at 11:00, began with arrivals to the area where Newroz will be celebrated. Citizens residing in distant districts of the city started to flock to the area where Newroz will be celebrated with the first lights of the morning.

 

THOUSANDS FLOCKING TO NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS

 

In this context, 350 large buses as well as hundreds of small vehicles set off to the Newroz area. Despite the cold and rainy weather, thousands of citizens flock to public transportation vehicles such as ferries and trains in groups. Citizens gathering in Yenikapı draw attention with their enthusiasm and their colorful national costumes.

 

All preperations completed way before the celebrations started in Yenikapı square. Entrances to the Yenikapı Rally area, which will be the scene for the meeting of labor and democracy forces, have begun. The crowd coming out of the Yenikapı Metro entrance in groups is marching to Yenikapı with songs, slogans and applauses. The crowd accumulating in the square often shouts out the slogans “Bê Serok Jiyan Nabe” and “Bijî Serok Apo".

 

ÇERXA ŞOREŞE ANTHEM

 

Members of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) and the Confederation of Turkish Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DİSK) sing Kurdish songs and dance the halay with the "Çerxa soreşe" anthem at the Yenikapı subway exit. Entrances to the square continue in the form of corteges.

 

PARTICIPANTS

 

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Mithat Sancar, HDK Co-Spokesperson Esengül Demir, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır, Green and Left Party Co-spokesperson İbrahim Akın, SODAP Co-spokesperson Sevtap Akdağ Karahalı, SYKP Co-chair Cavit Uğur, EMEP Chairperson Ercüment Akdeniz, TİP Chairperson Erkan Baş and ESP Co-Chair Şahin Tümüklü, Alevi Institutions and Non-Governmental Organizations.

 

NEWROZ PROGRAM

 

The Newroz program, which will start with street musicians and Hûnermend Huriye taking the stage, will continue as follows: “Opening and greetings on behalf of the Organizing Committee, bilingual greetings by Istanbul Provincial Co-chairs, lighting the Newroz fire, reading the joint statement of all Newroz components, speech from HDK Co-Spokesperson Esengül Demir and DBP Co-Chair Keskin Bayındır, followed by Grup Vardiya.

 

HDP Co-Chair Mithat Sancar will take the stage to make a speech which will be followed by Zero Abbas. Then there will be speeches from Alevi institutions, Emep Chairperson Ercüment Akdeniz, ESP Co-Chair Şahin Tümüklü, SODAP Spokesperson Sevtap Akdağ, SYKP Co-Chair Cavit Uğur, TİP Chair Erkan Baş, Green Left Party Co-Spokesperson İbrahim Akın, which will be followed by the last band before the end of the celebrations, Koma Sorjiyan.