After the destructive ISIS occupation and the historical resistance that liberated the town, Kobanê is being reconstructed. Preparations for projects such as zoning, infrastructure, health, minesweeping, education and women’s houses continue.

European Union representatives and international institutions have been collecting donations for the reconstruction efforts in Kobanê after the destructive ISIS occupation and the historical liberation of the town. Preparations for projects such as zoning, infrastructure, health, minesweeping, education and women’s houses continue.

After 60 European parliamentarians’ call for support to Kobanê in April, the European Parliament is hosting the “International Campaign for the Construction of Kobanê” conference in partnership with the Committee on the Reconstruction of Kobanê, Association of Kurdish Employers in Europe (AEEE) and the European United Left-Nordic Green Left group.

AID FOR RECONSTRUCTION

The conference will be held in the European Parliament on July 1, and aims to collect aid for the construction of Kobanê, solve problems experienced by refugees, and assess the situation of the regions recently liberated from ISIS.

European Union representatives, UN officials, and government and NGO representatives will be meeting for the first time for the reconstruction of Kobanê, and Özlem Tanrıkulu from the Conference preparation committee stated that the majority of participation would come from the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, England, Belgium, Czech Republic and Scandinavian countries.

CONFERENCE TO BE LIVE STREAMED ONLINE

The conference will be held in a conference hall that could host 120 people, but will also be live streamed on the "www.helpkobane.com” website. The conference will begin at 09:00 on July 1 and continue until 14:00. Tanrıkulu stated that the master plan for the reconstruction of Kobanê as well as the previous projects in which NGOs brought aid to and worked in the city would be presented, and an emergent call for practical aid would be made.

CANTON REPRESENTATIVES ARE AMONG THE SPEAKERS

Kobanê Canton Co-President Enver Muslim, Minister of Local Governments Mustafa Abdi, Kobanê Local Governments Co-President Şevin Mahmud, Cizîr Canton Assyrian and Arab Vice Presidents as well as Minister of Foreighn Affairs are to speak at the conference.

Tanrıkulu stated that the issues of areas recently liberated from ISIS occupation would be discussed at length and the support needed for the town will be brought to the global agenda.

ZONING PLAN TO BE PRESENTED

A zoning plan for the reconstruction of Kobanê prepared by TMMOB architects in Amed will be presented at the conference. The reconstruction plan for Kobanê includes projects on the issues of minesweeping, infrastructure, clean water, health, education, women’s houses and refugees’ return.

THERE ARE 10 AMMUNITIONS PER METER SQUARE IN KOBANÊ

ISIS gangs had tried to occupy Kobanê with tens of tanks and heavy weaponry on September 15, 2014. After a strong resistance of 134 days, YPG/YPJ forces liberated Kobanê city center on 26 January 2015. The whole canton was cleared of ISIS gangs in the following months but the city center was nearly destroyed by the end of the conflict. According to the recent report of Handicap International, which works on disability rights in 61 countries, 80 percent of Kobanê city center was destroyed during the conflict and there are currently 10 ammunitions per Meter Square in the town.