def new_project(self, name, description, namespace=None, url=None,
                    avatar_email=None, create_readme=False, private=False):
        """
        Create a new project on the pagure instance
        :param name: the name of the new project.
        :param description: A short description of the new project.
        :param namespace: The namespace of the project to fork
        :param url: A url providing more information about the project.
        :param avatar_email: An email address for the avatar of the project.
        :param create_readme: Boolean to specify if there should be a
            readme added to the project on creation.
        :param private: boolean to specify if the project is private
        :return:
        """
        request_url = "{}/api/0/new".format(self.instance)

        payload = {'name': name, 'description': description}
        if namespace is not None:
            payload['namespace'] = namespace
        if url is not None:
            payload['url'] = url
        if avatar_email is not None:
            payload['avatar_email'] = avatar_email
        payload['create_readme'] = create_readme
        payload['private'] = private

        return_value = self._call_api(request_url, data=payload,
                                      method='POST')

        return return_value['message']