On 5 September 2026, Ezidis joined Assyrian and Muslim residents at the third Gülgöze Festival in Midyat, Mardin, where Assyrian families from Turkey and Europe gathered in the village from which many of their relatives left around five decades ago.
The festival was organised by the Germany-based Gülgöze Union Federation and drew around 2,000 people from Turkey and abroad, according to a report published by Hürriyet on 6 September 2026, based on reporting by the Demirören News Agency.
Local Assyrian artists performed during the event, while participants shared meals in the village square and joined traditional dances. The gathering brought together Assyrian families living in Europe with residents of Gülgöze, formerly known as Ayınverd.
Ezidis from the area also took part. One attendee said the annual festival brought together people of different faiths for a shared day of celebration.
The report did not provide a separate number of Ezidi participants or identify any Ezidi speakers. It described the event primarily as an Assyrian cultural gathering, with Ezidis and Muslim residents joining the celebration.
