A workshop on "Rojava Women's Revolution - Confederative Women's System in North and East Syria" was held on Sunday within the scope of Vienna Festival Weeks, which started in Austria on 17 May.

The last workshop of the festival on Rojava was led by Sarah Marcha from the Brussels Institute of Jineology. After a brief historical overview of the cultural and social roots of Kurdish women in Mesopotamia and their role in the resistance against occupation and genocide policies for more than a century, Sarah Marcha explained the foundations of the women's autonomous system in North and East Syria and the importance of Jineology in this context.

The presentation ended with the screening of a short video prepared by the Kongra Star movement, introducing the heroes of the Rojava Women's Revolution and the various structures they established to respond to the needs of women and society in areas such as education, economy and justice.

This was followed by a discussion with around 30 participants who were interested in learning how women in North and East Syria have managed to have their autonomy recognised by society as a whole and how they have been able to bring about a change in mindset in the face of hegemonic state forces and patriarchy. There was a particular focus on ecological and health issues linked to the war, the embargo and the recent attacks by the Turkish army. The issue of support for women's and community institutions and projects and the desire to establish economic, social and political links with other countries and organisations were at the centre of the collective reflections. The workshop ended in the evening in a spirit of solidarity and interest in the women's revolution.

The Vienna Festival Weeks, which will continue until 23 June, includes 46 productions and artistic projects from the fields of theatre, opera, music, dance, performance, visual arts and activism.