NEVRUZ

This festival, whose origins are Zoroastrian, falls during the spring equinox and corresponds to the awakening of nature and the blessing of the life cycle. Kurds and Alevis celebrate the ancient Middle Eastern spring festival with joy by jumping over bonfires. Celebrated in Iran but banned until recently in Turkey, Nevruz (or Norouz "new day" in Farsi) is now an official holiday, giving rise to large festivities, especially in Diyarbakır. For Turkish Kurds, it is a strong symbol of their identity.