Universities and academies in Northern and Eastern Syria are holding a conference to discuss higher education, issues in higher education and the exam system. The conference held by the Rojava University, Kobanê University, Afrin University and Mesopotamia Academy has started in the main campus of the Rojava University in Qamishlo.

Academics, education council members, students, Rojava Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) Diplomacy officer Aldar Xelîl and Cizire Canton Legislative Council Co-chair Ebdulkerim Sarûxan are attending the two-day conference where discussions will be held on a common education program for universities and academies in Northern and Eastern Syria.

The conference held by universities in Northern and Eastern Syria started with a minute’s silence and the election of the council. Rojava Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM) Diplomacy Officer Aldar Xelîl spoke in the conference and said they have resisted invasion while building a new system during the revolution.

Xelîl said they are still at the beginning of the revolution: “The revolution is still taking its first steps. Our people have paid such a huge price. Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs are working to build a new system together. Many powers have tried to use our gains for their own interests, and they continue still. These efforts will continue.”

Xelîl stressed that the revolution will continue its fight in every area and continued: “We are still trying to build our system amidst all this destruction. Our resistance against terrorist organizations like ISIS and their supporters on one hand and invasion attempts against the region on the other continues. An example of this is Afrin. Meanwhile, there is still a fight against the thinking that has held power in the country since 1970s. We also continue to fight certain misconceptions among ourselves.”

Xelîl said the efforts for education are still just beginning, like everything else, but the emerging results show promise. Xelîl said, “Our new system will be built on education, despite all misconceptions. But we are still waging a fight to exist. Our universities may not be at the global level today, but we have built such an education system in the middle of a war. We started with teaching the mother tongues, and there are thousands of students in our universities today.”

Xelîl continued: “Some of the people chanting to remove the regime until yesterday are now sending their children to regime schools, saying they don’t want to waste their children’s future. Over 5.000 martyrs died for this revolution. Institutions have been built, schools have been opened, but people send their children to regime schools. To schools of the regime they called chauvinist just until yesterday. But despite everything, our resistance amids war and destruction continues still in every area. I wish good results from the conference held today for our peoples.”