CULTURE

Latest News

• 'What is UNESCO protecting?' counter forum to be held in Istanbul 

  Many organizations that are critical of UNESCO announced that they would be holding a ‘counter forum’ in Istanbul.
• YPG reports ongoing attacks by Turkish army and ISIS gangs 

  YPG (People's Defense Units) has reported ongoing attacks by Turkish army and ISIS gangs on Rojava (West) Kurdistan.
• Great interest in Öcalan’s book in Cambridge and Oxford 

  Seminars promoting the Kurdish people's leader Abdullah Öcalan's book “Manifesto for a Democratic Civilization” has drawn great interest in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
• Great interest in Öcalan’s book in Latin America 

  The first book of the Democratic Civilisation Manifesto by Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan was translated into Spanish and is being promoted in Latin America.
• Preparations for Filmamed Festival completed 

  Filmamed’s theme this year is ‘resistance,’ and the festival is dedicated to filmmaker Balıkesir who was murdered in the ‘basement of savagery’ in Cizre.
• Award at Cannes to the film on the tragedy of Êzidîs 

  Hevêrk, a film on the tragedy of Êzidîs, received the Viewers Choice Award at the 69th International Cannes Film Festival. Director Rûken Tekeş stated that she wanted to portray the tragedy of Êzidî Kurds.
• Education in Rojava after the revolution 

  Kurdish people’s identity was not recognized by the Ba’athist regime in Rojava; one of the smallest parts of Kurdistan.
• Sakine Cansız documentary to be screened at Nice Festival in France 

  “Sara - My Whole Life Was A Struggle” documentary on the life of Kurdish revolutionary woman Sakine Cansız will be screened at the International Film Makers Festival held in Nice, France.
• ISIS sells looted historical artifacts in Antep 

  Details of the trade between ISIS and Turkish companies were laid bare in the letter published on UN’s website.
• Explosions and aerial activities in Şırnak 

  After the heavy clashes last night, two major explosions took place in the Dicle and Cumhuriyet neighborhoods of Şırnak. Many ambulances arrived at the explosion site and significant aerial activities continue at nights.
• Newroz celebration in preschools in Sweden 

  Children in two preschools in Sävedalen, close to Göteborg in Sweden, celebrated Newroz together.
• Hasankeyf shortlisted for 'The 7 Most Endangered' program 

  The historic town of Hasankeyf, located on the Upper Tigris River in southeastern Turkey, has been selected as one of Europe’s “7 Most Endangered” heritage sites for 2016.
• New Ghobadi film on children of Shengal and Kobanê 

  Ghobadi’s film ‘Life on the Border,’ depicting the stories of 8 children from Kobanê and Shengal who escaped ISIS brutality and ended up in refugee camps, was shown in Berlinale. The film emphasizes the tragedy of Kurdish children.
• ISIS blows up ancient Baal Shamin temple in Palmyra 

  ISIS gangs continue destroying historical sites in Syria. Gangs affiliated to the barbaric Islamist organization blew up the ancient temple of Baal Shamin in the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria on Sunday.
• David Harvey meets his readers in Amed 

  British geographer, political economist, social theoretician and activist Professor David Harvey met his readers at the Amed Book Festival yesterday.
• Protests at assimilation on Kurdish Language Day 

  Yesterday Kurdish Language Day was celebrated in many provinces in North Kurdistan. A large Kurdish-language crèche was opened in Van and the foundations laid of a second Kurdish crèche in Amed.
• Festivity banned by military coup takes place in Mardin 

  The Hessıt Merenê fete, an Arab and Syriac festivity which was banned by the military coup of 12 September 1980, has taken place for the first time since then, nearly 36 years later.
• The cry of silence, traces of an Armenian memory” exhibition in Amed 

  Antoine Agoudjian, a French artist of Armenian origin, has opened a photography exhibition called “The cry of silence, traces of an Armenian memory” in a part of the old city walls in Amed, called Keciburnu.
• 'Remove censorship, not Bakur' protest in Istanbul 

  Hundreds of movie laborers, movie lovers and screen writers marched from the French consulate to Galatasaray square against cancellation of screening the guerrilla documentary, “Bakur”(North), at the 34th İstanbul Film Festival.
• Applications start for the 9th London Kurdish Film Festival 

  Applications have begun to be accepted for the biggest Kurdish Film Festival in the world, the London Kurdish Film Festival.
• Yazidi Kurds’ cheerless festival 

  The Yazidi Kurds celebrate the first Wednesday of April, according to the Muslim calendar, as ‘Çarşema Sor’ (Red Wednesday). Yazidi children living in a tent city in Batman celebrated the festival by painting eggs red.
• Guerrilla documentary Bakur denied screening at Istanbul Film Festival 

  The film: “A Guerrilla Documentary: Bakur (North)”, which is in the programme of the 34th Istanbul Film Festival, was prevented from being screened on the pretext that “there is no registration document”.
• Yazidi holy feast 'Çarşema Sor' celebrated on Mount Sinjar 

  The Yazidi New Year's Day, also called Charshema Sor or the Red Wednesday, is being celebrated by the people on Mount Sinjar.
• French writer publishes book 'To Die for Kobanê' 

  French writer and film maker Patrice Franceschi has published his 27th book titled 'To Die For Kobane' [Mourir Pour Kobanê].
• Zarok TV to start broadcasting in three Kurdish dialects 

  Zarok TV, the first Kurdish-language children's channel, will start broadcasting from the main Kurdish city Amed (Diyarbakır) after long preparations on March 21st, Newroz—Kurdish New Year.