Kurdish artists gathered in Germany to read and discuss the “Manifesto” presented by Abdullah Öcalan, theorist of the Kurdistan Revolution, to the 12th Congress of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) held in May.
Around 60 artists, including Xelîl Xemgîn, Amele, Comerd, Sosin, and Xemgîn Bîrhat, participated in the meeting held at the Mala Kurda Cultural Center in Cologne. The event saw a wide range of participants, from vocal artists to govendgers, theater directors to cinema workers, poets to painters.
The meeting started with two sessions of collective readings from Öcalan’s manifesto. Following the readings, the participants moved on to a discussion and evaluation of the work.
During breaks in the meeting, some artists recalled that Öcalan has been held in harsh conditions of isolation on Imrali Island for 26 years, and emphasized the importance of the theoretical struggle he continues to wage in order to keep alive the people’s hope for freedom.
The artists commented, “With this manifesto, Leader Öcalan offers a new perspective not only to the Kurdish people but also to the peoples of the Middle East. This work establishes a very strong foundation on both a political and philosophical level.”
The artists stated that the manifesto marks a historic turning point for the people of Kurdistan, saying: “With the 1978 manifesto, our heroes and our people created a 47-year epic. This new manifesto carries the same spirit of resistance. It establishes a theoretical foundation that will deepen and expand our freedom march. As artists, it is our duty to stand by it.”
Source: ANF News
