The "Azadi" Garden Festival in Sulaymaniyah... A Space for Empowering Craftswomen and Challenging Disability

Sulaymaniyah's "Azadi" Garden Festival empowers women, launching with notable participation including disabled and blind women displaying handmade projects and folklore dishes.

Sulaymaniyah – Despite social and economic obstacles, craftswomen in the Kurdistan Region work to achieve economic independence and develop their projects; however, the absence of government support, limited resources, and the lack of necessary assistance remain the biggest obstacles preventing the continuation and expansion of their work.

The cultural festival, which opened in Sulaymaniyah city in the Kurdistan Region and extends for ten days, receives its visitors daily from morning until evening, as its days are interspersed with various artistic and folkloric performances that adorn the evenings.

Jiyan Mohammed explained that the festival is being held simultaneously with the beginning of the autumn season, organized by the "Heart of Sulaimani" organization and a group of chefs. She noted that it includes a diverse assortment of women traders and delicious Kurdish foods, pointing out that the activities witness a notable participation of the "Roshna-yi Dil" Association for the Blind and many women with disabilities with their handmade products.

For her part, participant Robak Mohammed expressed her pride in presenting diverse Kurdish folklore dishes such as kubba, "burak," "yellow biryani," alongside stuffed vegetables such as turnip and lettuce leaves. She directed an encouraging message to women urging them to work, rely on themselves, and develop their skills, confirming that no woman should stand idle in her society.