Category Archives: Culture

A Few Days’ Life of Revolution in Halabja

By Yasin Aziz: Published on Amazon, 24th April 2015 This is the story of my generation’s experience from the time of the 1961 September (Aylul) Revolution. As a child in Halabja I witnessed most of what was happening when the Iraqi monarchy was overthrown, with the hope of a democratic government and equality for all…

BêjeBêje: New Kurdish Lyrics Site Tackles An Elusive Dream

KT Report: BêjeBêje (‘Sing Sing’) is an ambitious new Kurdish cultural initiative: a community-driven archive that aims to become the world’s central online resource for Kurdish lyrics. Currently the website features lyrics by almost 100 artists and the founder says the database is growing steadily. Ciwan Xelef, a web developer living in the UK, told…

KRG Must Promote Kurdish Language in Kurdistan

By Scherco R. Baban: We, the People of South Kurdistan, the Land of the Warriors and Poets, resting place of the martyrs for freedom, cradle of civilizations, birthplace of the Tigris and Euphrates, land of the Hurrians and the Kingdom of Mitanni. In our land Mem û Zîn, the story of Love and Freedom, was born….

First-Ever Online Courses in Kurdish Launched

Raber Aziz

By Raber Y. Aziz:  Alison, an Ireland-based online learning provider, has launched the first ever online courses in the Kurdish language to provide free online education for Kurdish speaking individuals. The courses are live now. Bookmark on Delicious Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post

Kurdistan: Avoiding the ‘Happiness’ of Being Compared to the Gulf States

By David Jalil Zare: Like millions of my fellows of Kurdish origin I care about Kurdistan and how to work to make it a place of peace and prosperity. I believe taking the Arabic Gulf States as the model for advancing society and wealth is the worst that can happen to us. It would be…

Tourism in Southeast Turkey: Is It Really Safe?

Special Report by Dr. Amy L. Beam: It is safe, legal, beautiful, and remarkable to travel now in southeast Turkey. Outsiders are so rare that visitors are treated like celebrity stars. The democratic, secular Kurds have dominated world news recently in their heroic fight against the Islamic State or ISIS in Iraq and Syria. North…

The ‘PK’ Movie Spoke Out, It’s Time for the Right Call

By Ausama Anwar: I’ve never been hooked on Bollywood productions. Actually, only a few Hindi movies have attracted me. Lately, I came across a headline describing one of them as the finest production to emerge from decades of Bollywood films. I didn’t care much at first, but then decided to study the extent of technical…

Introducing the World to Kurdish Literature

Raber Aziz

By Raber Y. Aziz: I have always had this passion for literature and books. I was a little kid and whenever my dad was away, I borrowed – or did I steal? – books from his bookshelves to read. I always waited until he went out, secretly pulled a book or two from his library…

A Resurgence of Kurdish Studies Research

By Dr.Amir Sharifi: The 48th Annual  Middle East Studies Association of North America in Washington DC Not long ago Kurdish scholars were lamenting the lack of scholarly research about Kurds and Kurdistan and calling on all to initiate and foster much needed multi-disciplinary research. At last Kurdish Studies is emerging as a topic of high…

Poetry in Exile

Yasin Aziz

By Yasin Aziz: ‘The refuge we all seek is protection from forces which wrench us away from the security and comfort, physical and mental, which give dignity and meaning to human existence’ Aung San Suu Kyi Exile from country, family, social life, the atmosphere one is used to for many years: the warm social relations,…

I Am With You, Kobani

Song written by Faryad Shiri: Translated by Dr.Amir Sharifi Here is the translation of a song performed in Kermanshani. The vocalist (see below) has a great voice and the lyrics and the music are sorrowfully penetrating. Have you seen how autumn has come and destroyed our garden (2) It has dumbfounded and stunned the old…

Stand Up Against ISIS (Fundraising Comedy Show, London 16th Nov)

Organised by independent Kurdish Youth: On Sunday 16th November at the Flyover venue in Portobello, independent Kurdish youth have organised a fundraising comedy evening titled ‘Stand-Up Against ISIS’ Buy your tickets here: standupagainstisis.eventbrite.co.uk Comedian, Kae Kurd, will host a night of fun-filled laughter accompanied by four UK comedians who are sure to blast you away with jokes….

Mesopotamia Academy appeals for books

By Dr Jan Best de Vries: Everything written today about the further development of Rojava focuses on the future. In the city of Qamishli in the Cizîre canton, the Mesopotamia History and Sociology Academy has been founded and it is asking us for books. The question is how to deliver books to the academy on…

O! My Kurdistan it is Daybreak

Poem by Freyad Ibrahim: Break, break,  break It is daybreak. Kurdistan awake It’s a new day. It’s a new way. Shake, shake, shake Bookmark on Delicious Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post

Breaking Beauty: From abstraction to destruction

Ausama Anwar

By Ausama Anwar: It’s not easy to choose between what’s true and what’s not these days, since truth takes the form of a mirror shattered into a million pieces: in each, only a little part of truth. Today, we’re not living in a world where we can do well and protect goodness in the way…