ÊLVÎN MIHEMED

 Kobanê – YPJ Commander Arîn Mîrkan lost her life on October 5, 2014 while fighting ISIS in Kobanê. For three years, a theatre festival called “Arîn Bisk û Zulfên Aştiyê ye” has been held in North and East Syria in memory of Arîn Mîrkan. This year, the festival will be held by the Art and Culture Organization of Euphrates Canton and the Mesopotamia Culture and Art Movement with the motto, “Theatre is a mirror to understand society”. The 10-day festival will kick off at the Baqî Xido Culture and Art Center in Kobanê. 14 theatre groups of different culture and art organizations, including the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Movement, will perform at the festival.

NuJINHA spoke to Rodîn Yusif, Co-chair of the Cultural Council and member of the Festival Committee, about how they have organized the festival and the program of the festival.

 ‘We told the stories of the fighters in Kobanê through theatre’

Many places in Kobanê were destroyed during the resistance against ISIS, Rodîn Yusif said. “We faced many challenges while rebuilding the city. We held the 1st festival and told the stories of the fighters and the pain and difficulties experienced by the people in the city of Kobanê through theatre. Many theatre, folklore and musical groups performed at the festival.”

‘Kobanê is a place of Martyr Arin's resistance’

The festival is held at the Baqî Xido Culture and Art Center located in the city of Kobanê every two years “because Kobanê is a place of Martyr Arin's resistance. The festival lasted five days, the second one lasted seven days and third one will last 10 days. The festival program changes every year.”

They have been preparing for the festival for five months

We have been preparing for the festival for five months, Rodîn Yûsif told NuJINHA. “The Festival Committee has made great efforts to prepare the festival program. People, including Arab people, from cities of North and East Syria will participate in the festival. We think the people of Kobanê will show great interest in the festival. We call on our people to attend the festival.”