Webinar | Rojava Revolution, an alternative world being built in NE Syria
On the morning of February, 17th, the session on the ” Kurd”, organized by Civil Diplomacy Center NE Syria, in collaboration with Kongra Star Women’s Movement and Jineoloji Center took place. 50 people from around the world took part online to learn about the methods of the people- and women-led revolution in North and East Syria. The moderator Nourshan Hussein and the speakers Perwin Youssef, a PYD member, and Zozan Sima, a member of the Jineoloji Academy, explained their views on the development of the revolution in North and East Syria.
Within the session, it became clear that only a true revolution of mentality can lead to a society, that defends and organizes itself. Although the revolution itself mainly started with the uprising in the Middle East in 2011/2012, the preparations were made long before. They date back to the installation of the Kurdish freedom movement and the uprising of a female self-defense force 40 years ago. Until 2012 they had to work secretly, but when the war in Syria started the people took the opportunity to resist openly.
For today, the speakers stressed, that organized women are at the forefront of the approach to building up democracy and making themselves independent from the state. Within this approach, every woman should represent the movement/organization in her back. Although there is a quota of an even representation (50/50), Zozan Sima from Jineoloji stressed, that this does not make sense, if it is not filled with ideology and communal thought. This revolution shows, that it is not about single people advancing and taking political roles, but to build up everything from the bottom of the communes. Those are the backbones, that organize daily life and needs on economic and ideological levels. The social contract of the region, which was first installed in 2014, brings together the variety of experiences and needs of a multicultural and multi ethnical region. It was developed through a major effort of discussions and education in all regions of NE Syria. After a long period of occupation and a state of annihilating the rights of the people, the people now for the first time learn to govern and defend themselves with all means necessary. The inspiration for this came out of the ideas and writings of the philosopher Abdullah Öcalan, who out of prison gave concrete ideas on how to build up institutions and structures led by the people. To make sure the state ideology does not succeed in tearing apart the ideas and writings of the philosopher Abdullah Öcalan, who out of prison gave concrete ideas on building from different backgrounds apart, it was important to make them believe in themselves. There is the approach, that no single person should be left, everyone should be ready to participate with his/her own thoughts and force, and everyone should share participation and benefit in this new system thriving for a peaceful society in the region and beyond.
Concerning the ongoing attacks of ISIS, the Syrian and the Turkish state, the morale of the people is high and growing every day, as the speakers put it. At the end of the session, many contacts were shared and there was a deep feeling of hope throughout the participants to build up something together in the near future.
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