Êzidî women have revived hope in a city where life was wanted to be disrupted. They have already decided to be life itself. They have composed a song to wish a happy International Women’s Day to women all across the world.

Shengal –Voice of Hope of Shengal’s Women (Dengê Heviyê Jinên Şengalê) is an Êzidî women’s musical group. The women carrying out their musical works at the Sitiya Nexşan Culture and Art Center have composed a song for International Women’s Day. The song draws attention to the journey of women turning March 8 into a day of resistance and struggle and to women’s connection with life and nature. The song also calls on women all across the world to struggle shoulder to shoulder, to unite against male domination and persecution.

“We both play and sign”

Êzidî women in Shengal have made preparation for International Women’s Day with great enthusiasm. We talked to Dilvîn Sado and Dildar Hisên about their musical group, Voice of Hope of Shengal’s Women (Dengê Heviyê Jinên Şengalê) and the story of their song. Dilvîn Sado told us that they have done such a project for the first time, “We have composed this song for International Women’s Day. We want to protect the culture of Shengal by composing this song and organizing cultural activities. We have practiced the rehearsals for our musical performance.  We both play instruments and sing songs. As Êzidî women, we want to celebrate March 8 with great enthusiasm.”

A present to women all across the world…

Dildar Hisên is also a member of the musical group she told us that they have composed this song for International Women’s Day and that this song is a present from Êzidî women to women all across the world. Dildar also talked about the edict they faced while comparing life in the past and present, “We didn’t know and celebrate March 8 before the edict. We learned the meaning of March 8 after we returned to Shengal. We expect more women to participate in celebrations for this year than in previous years. Women should participate more.”

“Cultural activities broaden our mind”

Dildar Hisen talked about their preparations for March 8 and said, “We have practiced the rehearsals for our musical performance, we will also perform folk dance and theatre plays. Cultural activities broaden our minds. Therefore, I want to call on Êzidî young women; they should focus on cultural and art activities without thinking it is ‘shame’.”

“Gender roles limit women”

Dildar also called on women to struggle against gender roles, “Women and men are equal, and women can do everything men do. For this reason, Êzidî young women should choose to be at the forefront by rising up against pressures on them and gender roles.”