KRG Representation hosts Newroz reception in Vienna
The reception was attended by Austrians officials from the public and private sector, international diplomats and members of the Kurdish community living in Austria.
A festival of peace, freedom and new beginnings, Newroz is the most significant celebration for the Kurds. It marks both the Kurdish new year and the beginning of spring.
The reception began with a cover of Hassan Zirak’s ballad “Newroz” sung by children from the Kurdish School in Vienna. This was followed with welcoming remarks by the KRG Representative to Austria, Dr Mustafa Ramazan, as well as the Iraqi Ambassador to Austria, Dr Surood Najib.
Dr Ramazan thanked the guests for attending this year’s Newroz celebrations and spoke of the importance of Newroz for Kurds everywhere as it reminds all Kurds of the oppression and struggles that they have witnessed in the past. He said, “March is a difficult month for us Kurds. Sorrow and joy lay very close together. A few days ago, we commemorated the 25th anniversary of the genocidal chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja, honouring the memories of the victims. Halabja was the sad culmination of the Anfal campaign against the Kurds of Iraq, where more than 182,000 people have lost their lives.”
He added, “Today however, we have come together to celebrate Newroz which is a celebration of peace and freedom. The Kurdistan Region has developed thanks in large part to an economy that is growing year after year. We can say that the people in Kurdistan today live a better life than they did ten years ago. This shows the amount of potential there is not only in Kurdistan but across Iraq. Together we hope to leave the dark chapter of our history behind us and move towards a bright and prosperous future in a world where dialogue, democracy and the respect for human rights prevails.”\
The event also included musical performances by Kurdish harpist Tara Jaff, tambur player Asmad Omari and his associates Vindar Husni and Rafat Al-Schimali.
