The 6th Martyr Herekol Book Fair opened at the Zana Hall in Qamishlo with the slogan "Books are the existence of the world".

Representatives of civil, political and cultural institutions in Northern and Eastern Syria as well as the Autonomous Administration delegation and Martyr Herekol's mother attended the opening ceremony.

Approximately 13 thousand books will be exhibited in Kurdish, Arabic, Syriac, Sorani and English at the fair, and more than 51 publishing houses will take their places in the stands.

After the opening ribbon was cut by Martyr Herekol's mother, Xedîce Mele Îbrahîm, Autonomous Administration spokesperson Luqman Ehmê made a short speech.

Commemorating the martyrs of the 19 July Revolution, Ehmê said: “Martyr Herekol was a resistance fighter, writer and intellectual. From the first day of the 19 July Revolution, he undertook the task of bringing all writers and intellectuals together. Martyr Herekol knew very well that protecting the revolution is not only possible with weapons, but also with culture and science. In this context, he brought together all the intellectuals and writers.”

At the end of his speech, Luqman Ehmê made a call to everyone to protect the gains of the revolution and to build a democratic and multi-coloured Syria.

Martyr Herekol's mother, Xedice Mele Îbrahim, saluted all the participants and called on everyone to follow the path of the martyrs.

Providing information about the opening of the fair, Northern and Eastern Syria Culture and Art Board co-chair Ronahî Hesen said: "Despite the difficult process we are going through and all the attacks carried out by the Turkish state, the gathering of dozens of people here shows the level of resistance and the stance of the people."

The Cultural Council of Northern and Eastern Syria organizes a book fair every year in memory of the Kurdish Intellectual Martyr Hesen Şawîş (Herekol), who died on 20 July 2016.

The board dedicated this year's fair to Kurdish poet Cegerxwîn. The fair will last until 29 October.