Send your stories: Assyrian New Year

The Word | Mar. 21, 2023

It’s the first day of spring and, for the Assyrian community, the beginning of Akitu.

The ancient festival marks the beginning of spring and time for harvest before April 1, or Kha b’Nisan, the Assyrian new year. Today, community members’ celebrations of the season are diverse: some decorate minimalistic, modern Akitu tables with elegant displays of fruit, wine and literature, while others don traditional clothing and attend buzzing festivals and parades. To some, these traditions are new.

This year, we want to know how our readers and listeners celebrate, whether festivities are steeped in tradition or a spark of something new. Through March 30, we’re welcoming your voice recordings, short writeups and photos explaining your traditions — or lack thereof — during Akitu. Send your submissions to info@thewordmideast.com for a chance to be featured.