Newroz Pîroz Be – Kurdish-Afghan-Iranian Spring Festival

Newroz – A Joint Spring Festival of Three Cultures

Newroz (Kurdish for "new day") or Nowruz (Persian) is the most important spring festival in Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and many regions of Central Asia – a New Year's festival traditionally celebrated at the beginning of spring (March 21st), with fire jumping, new clothes, communal meals, and dancing. In Berlin, several diaspora communities have organized their own Newroz celebrations for decades – the Newroz Family Festival by Yekmal e.V., the Newroz celebration at the Humboldt Forum, and at HKW. Newroz Pîroz Be at the Spore Initiative is intended as a complement to these: an explicitly joint festival of the Kurdish, Afghan, and Iranian communities, with a focus on children and families, cultural exchange, and political solidarity.

Spore Initiative as Host

The Spore Initiative at Hermannstraße 86 (Neukölln) has been a center for biocultural diversity, education, and cultural dialogues since 2023. The cafeteria, library, auditorium, workshops, and gallery spaces will be transformed for Newroz Pîroz Be into a bazaar with stages, workshop rooms, and a dance floor for the evening. The festival is organized together with:

• Rojavida – Education and Culture for Children e.V. – Kurdish children's and education association
• AfgActivistCollective – Afghan diaspora collective
• Yekmal e.V. – Kurdish parents' association with Berlin daycare centers

What to Expect

The day is divided into several phases:

• Stage for Children and Families (1 PM–5 PM): Def drum and dance performances by Yekmal daycare children, short film and music performance, Govend dance group from Afrin, participatory dance workshop, face painting, textile crafts, info stands
• Workshops and Panel (3 PM–6 PM): Dance workshops with Sammir and group, panel discussion "Newroz: A Celebration of Resistance and Self-Determination" on oppression and resistance with activists from the three diasporas
• Evening (from 5:45 PM): Concerts and dance performances, followed by a DJ set and open dance floor until 10:30 PM
• Bazaar (4 PM–10 PM): Kurdish, Afghan, and Iranian food, crafts, jewelry, and clothing in the so-called "Classroom" of the Spore Initiative

Political Dimension

Newroz has historically been repeatedly banned – in Turkey, Iran, and Syria – and is considered an act of resistance in the Kurdish movement. The Berlin festival does not shy away from this political dimension: speeches, film contributions, and the panel discussion address the current situation in Rojava, Iran ("Jin, Jiyan, Azadî"), and Afghanistan under Taliban rule – as an act of solidarity and visibility for diaspora communities that number many thousands in Berlin.