The Umbrella Organization of Yazidi Women's Councils (SMJÊ) sent aid parcels to families in need in the Yazidi town of Shengal (Sinjar) on the occasion of the 'Çarşema Serê Nîsanê' festival.

TAJÊ Assembly distributed the aid parcels sent by SMJÊ through the Sinunê People's Assembly members.

Members of the People's Assembly visited TAJÊ's centre in Sinûnê and took the aid parcels to distribute to those in need. Welat Cano, member of the Borik People's Assembly, who helped distribute the aid, thanked SMJÊ and congratulated the entire Yazidi community on the Yazidi New Year, ‘Çarşema Serê Nîsanê’. Çarşema Sor is the most meaningful day of the year for Yazidis who welcome it with joy and expectation. Shengal is known as the center of the celebration. Every year, Yazidis and their friends from many countries go to Shengal for the celebration.

Çarşema Sor

"Çarşema Sor" in Kurdish means "Red Wednesday". "Çarşem" consists of the Kurdish words "çar" for “four” and "şem" for “day”, meaning the "fourth day of the week", which is Wednesday. "Sor" means red. The day is also called "Sersal" (Kurdish "ser": up, head and/or top; and "sal": year), meaning "New Year".

New Year Time

The Yazidi New Year is celebrated on the first Wednesday in April, which, according to the Yazidi calendar, is always the first day of April and the New Year. Since the Yazidi calendar follows the Gregorian calendar by 13 days, the New Year is celebrated on the first Wednesday in April, which falls on or after April 14th in the Gregorian calendar. In Kurdish, the month of April is called "Nîsan". The first day of the month "Nîsan" is the "Çarşema Sor".

Mythology

According to Yazidi mythology, the "red Wednesday" is the day on which the creation of the earth was completed: The sun's rays reached the earth for the first time, turning the firmament red. The name "Red Wednesday" comes from this. Furthermore, it was the day on which the head of the Yazidi archangels, Tawisî Melek (God's angel), first came to earth. Tawisî Melek is the center of the seven archangels, so he represents Wednesday, the middle of the week or the center of the seven archangels. Wednesday is the rest day of the Yazidis, similar to Sunday for Christians.