Hundreds attend Kurdish new year celebrations

Issue 
Michele and Keith Harding at the Newroz celebration in Sydney. Photo: MerJa Media

Hundreds attended the Kurdish New Year celebrations — Newroz — in Sydney and Melbourne on March 26 and 27 respectively.

In Sydney, several hundred gathered in Blacktown to hear from community representatives and musicians.

Michele and Keith Harding (pictured), the parents of Reece Harding one of the young Australian martyrs for the liberation of Kurdistan, were given a standing ovation. They were also warmly supported for their ongoing commitment to the Kurdish cause with the establishment of the Reece Harding News Agency.

Ken Canning, Indigenous activist and leader of the Socialist Alliance NSW Senate ticket, gave an Acknowledgement of Country. Peter Boyle, also from the Socialist Alliance, gave greetings from the party, affirming it would continue to call for the delisting of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) from the so-called terrorist list and would continue to work in solidarity with the communities in Australia supporting the self-determination struggle of the YPG-YPJ-PYD.

Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton gave greetings to the Melbourne commemoration, along with the Mayor of Moreland Sam Ratnam.

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