Afrin Culture and Art Committee collected applications from those who want to attend the 3rd Hawar Festival in Shehba and Aleppo last June. Dozens of young people applied to participate in the festival. As a result of the evaluation exam, 21 people were named and divided into three groups, two based in Shehba and one in Aleppo.

Giving information about the preparations for the festival, Monitoring Committee member Newroz Silêman told ANHA: “We want to show the whole world that the people of Afrin continue to live and promote their culture against all kinds of attacks. Embargo and bombardment cannot prevent the survival of cultural heritage. The festival will also be the voice of the youth.”

The festival will begin tomorrow, Monday 6, at the Berxwedan Camp in the town of Fafin. The first phase of the festival, which will consist of 3 stages, will last until 9 September. At the end of the first stage, 7 members will be eliminated and the second stage will begin with 14 members. The second phase will be completed on 14-15 September. At the end of the second stage, 7 people will be eliminated and the remaining 7 people will go to the final stage. The final phase will begin on 20 September.

In the final stage, after the evaluation of the jury, 3 people will be awarded. The festival will end after the award ceremony.

The Hawar Festival was held at the Afrin Cultural Center in 2015 and 2016.