The final Newroz celebration in Germany took place today with great enthusiasm in Frankfurt's Rebstock Park. The celebration was the most well-attended event in recent years.

During the celebration, Abdullah Öcalan’s Newroz message in his own voice was played on giant screens.

After the message, Ilham Ehmed, Foreign Affairs Officer of North and East Syria, took the stage and delivered a speech, saying the following: “I bring greetings to you all from the land of revolution and resistance in Rojava. This is the Newroz of the resistance, martyrs and Leader Apo [Abdullah Öcalan]. Today we are going through a historic process. After a century, the time has come for freedom for the Kurdish people and the peoples of the Middle East. For fourteen years, meaningful and precious days have been created with the blood of thousands of martyrs. Today is the day when their sacrifices must turn into a solution to the Kurdish question.”

Ilham Ehmed pointed out that thousands of politicians and revolutionaries in Turkey are putting up growing resistance in prisons and said, “The solution to the Kurdish question is interconnected everywhere. Bashûr, Rojhilat, Rojava... Today, the Kurdish people in all four parts have declared with one voice 'Bijî Kurd û Kurdistan' [Long Live the Kurds and Kurdistan] and declared that they will not accept any option other than freedom.”

Ilham Ehmed continued, “Your enthusiasm and excitement are reaching the four parts of Kurdistan. We want to hear this voice in Rojava Kurdistan as well. We will soon delight the people with important developments. Today, important steps are being taken for a political solution in Rojava. Important initiatives have been taken by the Kurds so far; we will give you good news after Eid. After the announcement of the alliance, a Kurdish delegation will meet with the Damascus administration to convey their demands. The Kurdish people will take their place in the new structure to be created in Syria. There is a dialogue for the democratization of Syria. Work is being done to secure the existence of the Kurdish people and all Syrian peoples, and committees are being established. Efforts are being made to finalize the agreement in principle with Damascus.

We emphasize that women's rights must be the basis for the new Syria. If women's rights are not taken as a basis, that Syria will not be ours. Men and women must live together in a country equally. We will not take part in an agreement where women's rights are not recognized.”

Ehmed said thousands of people were martyred for the sake of an honorable life, stressing that they will never ignore their demands and they will continue their struggle on this path.

Ilham Ehmed stated that important developments will soon take place in occupied Afrin, Girê Spî and Serekaniyê: “We promise our people. This year will be the year of their return to their lands. For this purpose, we hold serious talks and work with both the Syrian central government and international organizations. A group from Afrin will soon return to their homes.”

Referring to Abdullah Öcalan’s new paradigm, Ilham Ehmed said, “Leader Apo started an important and historic process in prison, in the fortress of resistance. He announced to the whole world that the Kurdish people have a cause and want freedom. No one has the power to prevent 40 million Kurds with the 'terrorist' label. In the new process he developed, he imposed a solution on them. This process is important. The Kurdish people deserve peace and freedom. Everyone should work for the progress of this process and a solution to the Kurdish question.”

After İlham Ehmed's speech, IG Metall Union representative Michael Erhard also gave a speech and wished the participants a happy New Year. Announcing solidarity with the struggle for democracy, Erhard called for an end to wars and expressed his hope for peace and democracy in the Kurdish regions.

The celebration continued with stage performances by the Govend group and music by artist Hozan Dino.

Left Party MP Ferhat Koçak then took the stage and congratulated the Kurdish people on Newroz. Speaking in German and Turkish, Koçak criticized the operations against urban reconciliation initiatives in Istanbul and said that the people's right to take to the streets is legitimate, whereas in Turkey it is “terrorized”. Stating that “the street is a legitimate space for demanding rights”, Koçak saluted the resistance of the people in Turkey against their usurped will. Commenting on the developments in Rojava, Koçak saluted the revolution of the Kurdish people in Rojava and their struggle for freedom and concluded his words with the slogan “Biji Berxwedana Rojava!” [Long Live the Rojava Revolution].

The Newroz celebration continued with musical performances by Trio Sêreng, Yelda Abbasi, Hunerî Mizgîn, Hozan Comert and Koma Hezex.