Newroz in Southeast USA!

Newroz is the start of New Day, New Spring, and New Year in the Kurdish calendar. It is the most loyal happy occasion in the Kurdish history. Revisiting every year and bringing back joy and happiness to Kurds all over the world. Newroz is the greatest gift to Kurds for their struggle to survive against the harsh winters and oppressing occupiers. Newroz revives patriotism and nationalism in the hearts and minds of every Kurd; it strengthens Kurdish souls to stand united and strong for the following year.

Kurds on the other hand have sacrificed many heroes and heroines each year to reach this day. They have kept this day alive by prevailing against oppressors and dictators and carrying on the flames of freedom from generation to generation. For many years, Kurds in Kurdistan have celebrated this day by singing, dancing and wearing traditional Kurdish customs to pass down the heroic stories of Kurdish men and women who sacrificed their lives to achieve victory for their sons and daughters. For Kurds living abroad, there are many obstacles in celebrating this day, especially for those living in the United States. Distance, time and daily routines have defeated the importance of this occasion especially for the younger Kurdish generations; who are born outside of Kurdistan and know little about the true meaning of Newroz and its importance for the survival of Kurds in Kurdistan. This is apparent among the younger generation who know very little about the most known mythical story of Kawa which is a story of a Kurdish Ironsmith who defeated Dahak the oppressor and brought victory to the Med nation almost 3000 years ago. On March 22, 2008, I had the privilege to experience a different Newroz celebration in Atlanta, Georgia, which I hadn't experienced for many years in celebrating Newroz in the United States. A group of dedicated members of Kurdish Youth Club (KYC), http://www.kurdishyouthclub.com/, organized an effective celebration that truly delivered the meaning of Newroz to the attendees. The well planned program included activities that met everyone's needs. The celebration included non-Kurds who came to learn about the meaning of Newroz; Kurdish parents who spent a night full of Kurdish dancing and socializing; finally, it included second and third generation Kurds in America, who sat down in the front listening to the Story of Kawa being told while gazing in maze at the detailed graphics of the thousand year old story that was prepared and delivered by KYC. Participants of this event included Kurds from all of Southeast region. We like to congratulate KYC for their hard work and we hope to see these activities in every Newroz celebration across United States. Happy New Year. "Newroz Piroz Be"