Qamishli residents protest presidential decree Ignoring national holidays
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Dozens of activists and residents gathered on Tuesday at Zouri Roundabout, southern Qamishli, to protest a presidential decree issued by President Ahmad al-Shara which excluded their national holidays from the official list of public holidays.
The protest came two days after the Syrian presidency issued a decree defining the official holidays and public celebrations across the country.
On Monday, the Syriac Cultural Association in Syria expressed dissatisfaction over the omission of Akitu – the Babylonian-Assyrian-Syriac New Year – from the list of recognized holidays by the Syrian Transitional Government.
Ahmad Mardli, co-chair of the Photographers’ Union, told North Press, “In coordination with local activists in Qamishli, we lit the Newroz flame as a symbolic response to the government’s decision not to recognize our national holiday, the Kurdish New Year, Newroz, which represents a cultural and historical identity for the Kurdish people.”
He added that the action aimed to send a message to the interim government: “Whenever our identity or traditions are denied, we will continue to light the Newroz flame as a symbol of resistance and endurance.”
Women’s rights activist Najla Temo also said, “We came out today to protest the government’s refusal to recognize Newroz, which for us as Kurds is a historic and sacred celebration that no authority can erase.”
She noted that “the former Syrian regime had long denied this holiday, and now the new government has repeated the same policy,” describing the decision as “a clear indication that sectarian and discriminatory attitudes continue to persist against minority communities.”
The protest concluded peacefully, with participants reaffirming their commitment to cultural and national rights within a democratic framework that respects Syria’s diversity.