Kurds and their friends meet at the Culture Festival in the Netherlands
This year's International Kurdish Culture Festival is hosted in the Netherlands. People came from dozens of locations across European to attend the festival.
The Kurdish Culture Festival organised by the Democratic Kurdish Society Council in the Netherlands (DEM-NED) is held today under the slogan 'Status for Kurdistan, Freedom for Önder Öcalan'.
People travelled from dozens of European locations to attend the festival in Landgraf in the early morning hours. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic restriction, the festival did not take place in 2020.
Those with a vaccination card and a Covid-19 test were led to the area. Many left-wing organisations from Europe and Turkey were seen attending the festival.
In addition to books, newspapers, magazines, food, and beverage stalls, various cultural institutions' stands were set up in the area which was adorned with images of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, and flags of PKK, YPG, and YPJ.
On the massive platform in the festival area, a large billboard with the inscription "Free Öcalan" was hung, as well as banners demanding his freedom.
In his opening speech, KCDK-E Co-chair Yüksel Koç remarked that they demonstrated the "position of the Kurdish people" to the entire world and commemorated "all martyrs in the person of Sinan Dersim."
Koç saluted the resilience of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and other political prisoners in response to the Turkish state's invading attacks and those who are complicit with the Turkish state.
Koç stated that the Kurdish people and their European friends have a significant role to play in the coming time, and they carry a significant duty against occupation and isolation within the framework of the "Dem Dema Azadiyê" [Time for Freedom] campaign.
Fatoş Göksungur, the co-chair of the KCDK-E, highlighted that the Turkish state’s ideology of annihilation and occupation will be frustrated.
Göksungur said, "While the Kurds maintain their culture here today, they also take the line of freedom against the line of betrayal."
Addressing NATO, the United States, and European countries that are "part of the destruction concept today," Göksungur stated, "Do not be scared of the Kurds, Kurdistan, and their sympathizers. The only thing to fear is the ISIS mentality that the Kurds have crushed, and the capitalist system. The Kurds will fight their democratic legitimate battle till the end."
The festival continues with a rich cultural and artistic program.
