BERÇEM CÛDÎ

Kobanê – The Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Movement will hold the 2nd Martyr Berçem Festival in Kobanê between September 6-9 with the motto, “We will develop women's art with sunlight”. The movement has announced that this year’s festival is dedicated to Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been held in the prison island of Imrali since February 15, 1999.

Many artists will join the festival

29 musical and halay groups from all cantons of North and East Syria, including Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Circassian, Turkmen and Syrian groups, nine singers and many poets will join the 4-day festival. In addition, the “Hêza” documentary will be screened and many panels will be held at the festival. Emel Mathlouthi, Tunisian singer-songwriter and musician, and Şadî Xolamî, a musical group from Rojhilat Kurdistan (Eastern Kurdistan) will also join the festival, which will kick off on September 6 after a march.

‘We maintain the legacy of Berçem with our struggle’

“There is a need for a cultural and artistic struggle against genocidal attacks,” Fatma Xelîl, manager of the Hîlala Zêrin Movement and member of the Festival Committee, said in an interview with NuJINHA. “As is known, hegemonic and sovereign powers always attack the culture and identity of societies. The Kurdish people have been subjected to attacks on their culture and art for years. We will respond to the attacks by holding a festival in Kobanê on September 6. We maintain the legacy of Berçem, who left her mark on women, culture and art and played an active role in preserving Kurdish culture, with our struggle.”

‘The 1st festival was held in Aleppo’

The 1st Martyr Berçem Festival was held in Aleppo, Fatma Xelîl told us. “At the 1st Martyr Berçem Festival, women from different nationalities expressed their art and culture through their music, songs, folklore, theater performances and poems. The 2nd festival will be held in Kobanê because this was the wish of Martyr Sorxwîn, one of the YPJ commanders who played a leading role in the fight against ISIS in Kobanê. Women played a leading role in the fight against ISIS and we will play a leading role in art and culture in Kobanê.”

Sorxwîn Rojhilat was one of the YPJ commanders, who was killed in a Turkish drone attack on the city of Qamishlo on February 11, 2024.

‘We will hold the festival with our colors and voices’

“Today, women are subjected to genocidal attacks the most,” Fatma Xelîl said. “Therefore, women should struggle and resist the most. Now, there is a global solidarity of women; women raise their voices against all kinds of attacks and stand in solidarity with each other. We will express our support to women’s struggle for freedom. We will hold the festival with our colors and voices.”

Berçem Efrin

The festival is named after Berçem Efrin, who played an important role in the development of women's art. She was born in 1974, Afrin Canton’s Rajo town. While living in Aleppo with her family, she began to get to know the Kurdish Freedom Movement. In 1988, Berçem had an excellent voice and joined the Agirî musical group. In 1992, she joined the Kurdistan Freedom Movement.