Hasakah communities rally against decree omitting cultural holidays
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Dozens of activists and residents from Hasakah, northeast Syria, gathered on Saturday to protest a presidential decree issued by transitional President Ahmad al-Shar’a, which omitted the recognition of their national holidays.
Participants from Kurdish, Syriac, Armenian, and Assyrian communities gathered in Peace Square (formerly President Square) in central Hasakah, carrying torches and performing cultural shows that represented their distinct heritage and identity.
Last Sunday, the Syrian presidency issued a decree defining official holidays and national days in the country, but it excluded key cultural celebrations such as Newroz and Akitu, sparking resentment among various ethnic communities.
Hajar Amin, a Kurdish activist, told North Press, “We took to the streets today to remind the new transitional government that we, as original Syrian communities, have rights – including our national holidays, which must be recognized and protected in the constitution.”
He added, “Participants from Kurdish, Syriac, Armenian, and Assyrian backgrounds are calling for official recognition of Newroz and Akitu after decades of denial by the former Ba’athist regime, which distorted these events into unrelated celebrations.”
Amin stressed that the goal of the demonstration was to demand formal acknowledgment of their cultural rights and traditions, noting that “all of our communities have made sacrifices for Syria’s liberation and deserve equal recognition.”