On the occasion of the upcoming Newroz festival, the Executive Council Co-presidency of the KCK [Kurdistan Democratic Communities Union] issued a statement, saying: "We remember the Newroz martyrs with respect and gratitude. Martyrs like Mazlum Doğan, Zekiye Alkan, Rahşan Demirel, Ronahî and Bêrîvan have made this day of resistance and resurrection of the Kurdish people - as it is today - possible. On the occasion of Newroz, we greet Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], all comrades in the dungeons, the guerrillas and all our people and promise that we will crown with success the struggle that we start on Newroz to crush fascism and liberate Rêber Apo. This Newroz for the liberation of Abdullah Öcalan will become very strong. On this basis, the 50th year of the PKK will go down in history as a year of great struggle.

Newroz is not only a holiday, a day of resistance and struggle for the Kurds, it is a historical and social reality that all national values are concentrated around Newroz. Newroz and the existence of the Kurds have become congruent. Weakening Newroz means weakening the Kurdish identity and strengthening Newroz means strengthening it. Rêber Apo and the PKK attached great importance to Newroz from their first departure and considered highlighting Newroz as the basis for the existence and strengthening of the Kurdish people. In this regard, reviving and strengthening Newroz became one of their most fundamental goals and tasks.

KURDISH PEOPLE BECAME THE INVINCIBLE NEWROZ PEOPLE

With its first appearance on the stage of history, the Apoist movement gave great importance to Newroz. The spark of the prison resistance was ignited on Newroz, the Newroz martyrs created the Newroz serhildans (uprisings) and on every Newroz festival the Kurdish people themselves created new values. The great democratic revolution, the social revolution, the national revolution, the cultural revolution, the revolution of resurrection took place on Newroz. People like Zekiye Alkan, Rahşan, Ronahî and Bêrîvan became the driving force of patriotism and courage in the society. All these facts have transformed the Kurdish people into a people of serhildans and Newroz. For 50 years, the Kurdish people have become the vanguard of the 20th century, resisting in the spirit of Newroz and fighting for freedom and democracy in the Middle East. The Kurdish people will infect the peoples of the Middle East with their Newroz resistance.

NEWROZ FOR THE LIBERATION OF ÖCALAN

We welcome Newroz 2022 with great anticipation, enthusiasm and hope. Our goal is to enforce the physical freedom of Rêber Apo in the 50th year of the struggle. We are no longer willing to live without Rêber Apo. We make this clear. We consider it our profound obligation to free Rêber Apo, who has rendered a great service to our people and to all humanity. It is time to live up to this responsibility. Guaranteeing freedom and democracy means standing up for Rêber Apo. Since our people and our friends understand this reality perfectly, they celebrate Newroz 2022 as the Newroz of the liberation of Rêber Apo.

KURDISH WOMEN LEAD THE NEWROZ RESISTANCE

Newroz has become a day of women's liberation and Kurdish democratization at the same time. Kurdish women took a new reality for the Kurdish people by taking their place at the forefront of the Newroz resistance. The values of the women's freedom struggle are also the values of Newroz. Just as women act with great fighting spirit and will on March 8, their active and pioneering participation in the free and democratic life of Newroz plays a crucial role. In this respect, every March 8 also announces the glad tidings of Newroz. On March 8, 2022, women rose up and clearly showed that the Newroz celebration for the liberation of Rêber Apo will be very strong this year. Women play a leading role in the freedom struggle and will also be at the forefront of the liberation of Rêber Apo, and in this context, the Newroz festival. In this way, they will ensure that the struggle for freedom and democracy becomes even deeper and more comprehensive.

SPREADING THE WEEK OF COURAGE

The 2022 Newroz Festival will take the 'Time for Freedom' campaign to a new level. This Newroz will be focused on the destruction of AKP/MHP fascism and the liberation of Rêber Apo. This is clearly shown by the planning and program. In this regard, it is very important to celebrate Newroz widely and strongly. The celebrations should not be limited to certain days and centers. The week of courage must be expanded. Newroz is the celebration of the whole people, the whole society, it is a day of struggle. For this reason, all Kurds and their friends should celebrate this day wherever they are. There should not be a single Kurd or Kurdish woman or Kurdish friend who does not participate in the Newroz celebrations.

The new Newroz era began 50 years ago and achieved many things for the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East. In the 50th year of the party, we should celebrate these values and achievements on Newroz in a very big way and make the year the year of the crushing of fascism and the liberation of the Kurdish people.

On this basis, we call on the Kurdish youth, women, our people and our friends of all ages and all over the world to make every place a place of Newroz celebration, to flock to the Newroz squares and to create together a time when Rêber Apo will be liberated and an era of freedom and democracy will dawn in Kurdistan of Turkey and the Middle East."