Rojava Children's Orchestra celebrates Kurdish Language Day with traditional songs

To mark Kurdish Language Day, which falls on May 15th, the Rojava Children's Orchestra organized an artistic and cultural event in front of the Mohammed Sheikho Center for Culture and Art in Qamishlo. The event was attended by a number of residents and those interested in cultural and artistic affairs.

The event opened with a statement read by Jouri Issa, a member of the Rojava Children's Orchestra. In her statement, she emphasized that language is not merely a means of communication, but rather represents the identity, history, and culture of peoples. She noted that the Kurdish language is a fundamental pillar of the Kurdish people's existence, encompassing a rich literature, songs, stories, and cultural heritage.

Jouri Issa stated that the Kurdish language has faced policies of genocide, bans, displacement, and attempts at erasure for many years. She explained that occupying powers tried to distance the Kurdish language from society, prevent its teaching, and silence its voice, but it has managed to persevere and maintain its existence despite various challenges.

She added that Kurdish mothers played a crucial role in preserving the language through traditional songs, while writers and artists ensured its continuity through literature and songs, thus passing this cultural heritage from one generation to the next.

Jouri highlighted the importance of the Kurdish language to society, noting that a society that loses its language is like a tree without a soul. She emphasized that language is a means of protecting culture, documenting history, and proving the existence of peoples to the world.

She stressed that the Kurdish language is rich and diverse, brimming with dialects, literature, songs, and poems, and that its words carry within them a long history of struggle, resistance, and freedom. She pointed out that preserving the Kurdish language and teaching it to new generations is a collective responsibility that falls on everyone

At the end of the statement, Jouri Issa emphasized that the development of any society is linked to the development of its language. She called for concerted efforts to ensure the Kurdish language occupies its rightful place in all aspects of life and praised the sacrifices of the martyrs who paved the way for a brighter future for the Kurdish people with their blood.

Following the statement, the Rojava Children's Orchestra performed a selection of Kurdish songs using traditional instruments, including "Zimanê Kurdî" by the late artist Aram Tigran, to the delight of the audience.

The event concluded with a performance of traditional Kurdish drums (daf) in a festive atmosphere, underscoring the participants' commitment to their language and culture and their determination to pass them on to future generations.

Sh-S

ANHA