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AKRE, Kurdistan Region — In what's commonly referred to as Kurdistan's capital of Newroz, a new year celebrated by Kurds, locals are making a concerted effort to be more environmentally conscious this year.
Small fires, previously often burning tires, light the way for Kurds in Akre as they walk up its hill.
"Now, we don’t burn tires. Instead, we burn torches made from a wet tree branch wrapped in a piece of burlap with a wire and a nail," Muslih added.
He further explained the torches which the participants will carry.
"We will then soak the torch in oil from morning until evening. When the ceremony starts in the evening, you remove the torch from the oil, light it, and then take it to the hilltop," Muslih said.
Akre’s ancient citadel sits on a hilltop.
Kawa Zuher, the head of cultural affairs in Akre, claimed the "magnitude" of torches will be different this year.
"Unlike previous years, people will be surprised to see the torch ceremony this year," he said, revealing that seven groups have worked on the preparations.
Additionally, 1,000 balloons will be released during the celebration.
The city of Akre is located about 60 kilometers north of the Kurdistan Region's capital of Erbil.
"In the past, we used to burn tires, but they polluted the environment. Now, we don’t burn tires," Handrin Muslih, a torch maker from Akre, told Rudaw on Saturday.
Small fires, previously often burning tires, light the way for Kurds in Akre as they walk up its hill.
"Now, we don’t burn tires. Instead, we burn torches made from a wet tree branch wrapped in a piece of burlap with a wire and a nail," Muslih added.
He further explained the torches which the participants will carry.
"We will then soak the torch in oil from morning until evening. When the ceremony starts in the evening, you remove the torch from the oil, light it, and then take it to the hilltop," Muslih said.
More than 1,000 torches have already been made. Akre overflows with tourists on Newroz Eve, this year on Wednesday, March 20.
Akre’s ancient citadel sits on a hilltop.
Kawa Zuher, the head of cultural affairs in Akre, claimed the "magnitude" of torches will be different this year.
"Unlike previous years, people will be surprised to see the torch ceremony this year," he said, revealing that seven groups have worked on the preparations.
Additionally, 1,000 balloons will be released during the celebration.
The city of Akre is located about 60 kilometers north of the Kurdistan Region's capital of Erbil.
Reporting by Ayub Nasri
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