Kurdistan Newroz at Centro Ararat (Testaccio)

The Kurdish New Year in the heart of Testaccio

Every year, at the spring equinox, the Testaccio district in Rome lights up for Newroz, the Kurdish New Year. The event takes place in Largo Dino Frisullo, in front of the Ararat Socio-Cultural Center, a landmark for the capital's Kurdish community for over twenty years. The square is named after Dino Frisullo, a journalist and activist who dedicated his life to the cause of Kurdish freedom, a connection that makes this celebration much more than a simple folk event.

What is Newroz

Newroz marks the beginning of the Kurdish year and falls on March 21st, with the arrival of spring. It is one of the most deeply felt observances in the Kurdish and Middle Eastern world: it symbolizes rebirth, the end of winter, and, in the political interpretation given by the Rome community, the freedom and resistance of a people. The heart of the ritual is the Piroz fire, the sacred flame around which people gather and which participants symbolically cross: the flames represent renewal and hope in a world torn by war.

A festival open to the whole city

What makes the Testaccio Newroz special is its collective and inclusive nature. It is not a private celebration: every year it draws hundreds of people, not only members of the Kurdish community but also neighborhood residents, students, solidarity groups, and curious onlookers. Newroz is now a shared cultural heritage and a consolidated fixture in the Roman calendar, so much so that it is described as an integral part of the city's social fabric.

Music, dance, and Kurdish cuisine

The day alternates between ritual moments and festive celebrations: traditional circle dances, live folk music, a grand Kurdish dinner prepared by the Ararat Center, and concerts ranging from traditional songs to hip-hop. Between sets, there is no shortage of moments for reflection and information on the tensions affecting Kurdistan and the Middle East, consistent with the center's social and political vocation.

Not to be confused with the Persian Nowruz

In Rome, various spring festivals are celebrated on March 21st: the Kurdish Newroz at the Ararat Center is a distinct event from the Persian Nowruz traditionally held at Villa Borghese. Here, the focus is entirely on Kurdish tradition, the Testaccio community, and its civil commitment. A unique opportunity, in the Municipality of Rome and throughout the Lazio region, to experience Kurdish culture in a grassroots and welcoming setting.