In his writings, A. Ocalan presents culture on the basis of social identity and liberation and offers a deeper theoretical foundation for understanding why cultural institutions matter. In his defense texts, he writes: “In the case of society, we define culture in the narrow sense as the world of meaning, moral law, mentality, art and science of society. […] Once the institutions of a society are dismantled, one can no longer speak of its meaning, its culture in the narrow sense. In this case, the social institutions are like a bowl full of water. Once the bowl is broken, obviously, the existence of water cannot be mentioned. Even if it is mentioned, it is no longer water for the owner of the bowl, but an element of life that has flowed to the owners of other lands or vessels. The consequences of the loss of social meaning, mentality and aesthetics are even more grave. […] A society that has lost its mentality and aesthetic world is like a carcass left to rot, to be brutally torn apart and devoured. Therefore, in order to define a society culturally, it is absolutely necessary to evaluate it within its institutional and meaningful integrity.”

Ocalan’s words highlight the importance of rebuilding the cultural foundations of society, both through building social institutions and filling them with meaning. This idea finds practical expression in Hilala Zerin—‘Fertile Crescent’ in Kurdish—an umbrella organisation for women’s culture, linked to Kongra Star in North and East Syria. The name brings to mind the history of those areas: the Fertile Crescent is where, about 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic revolution began, under the leadership of women, contributing to key innovations such as language, agriculture, and the establishment of villages. During this revolution, both institutions and the meanings that filled them were created, forming the foundations of what we now understand as cultural and social identity.

Thanks to the work of women’s institutions like Hilala Zerin, the deeply historical role of women in shaping society in the revolution in North and East Syria is alive today. Mezgin Çolaka, coordinator of Hilala Zerin in North and East Syria, says: “Art and culture, including language and ethics, are the basis of society; together they define its identity. Women historically gave rise to the first societies, which were based on the cult and culture of the Mother Goddess. In patriarchal society, they have been fragmented and, in doing so, lost their role in defending culture and society.” Once again, the need to organise social institutions to address this fragmentation becomes clear—to revitalise culture and recover a collective identity, starting with women. “We want to revive the culture of the Mother Goddess and spread it throughout society. When culture was taken from the hands of women, it was distorted and placed in service of the patriarchal system. We must rediscover our culture—the culture of these lands—we want to rediscover who we are.”

Like water that, without a cup, is either dispersed or redirected to serve someone else, a crucial first step is to rebuild shattered social and cultural structures in order to fill them with meaning.

“Before the revolution, there were already art groups—both mixed and women’s—but it was in 2016 that we finally organised ourselves independently as women in North and East Syria. Within Hilala Zerin, we created different committees: for training, archives and journalism, diplomacy, and more. On the artistic side, we have sections for music, theatre, dance, and painting…” Today, Hilala Zerin is organised in every canton and major city. “We have also opened cultural centres for Arab culture in Tabqa, Raqqa, and Manbij, because in the project of the Democratic Nation every group should be able to express itself through its own culture.”

Since 2016, Hilala Zerin’s work has grown steadily. Today, there are 12 women’s music groups in North and East Syria, as well as theatre groups, musicals, and more. A major milestone in this growing cultural network was the founding of a high university to elevate this work. The Women’s High University for Art and Culture is the first of its kind in the world. Evîn Paşo, from the university administration, explains:
“The university opened on the 21st of November, 2024, and before that, we had been preparing for about three years. We opened it because we believe that the root of society’s problems is linked to women’s freedom. So, to solve the problems in society, you must first address the issues related to women. And if you want to spread culture in society, once again, you must start with women. Our history has been written with the feelings of women, with the lullabies of mothers for their children. The first musical note ever discovered was in a song written by a woman for a goddess. Later, this role was stolen from women: we want them to recover their role as the cultural vanguard.”

This university is not only a symbol of women’s cultural autonomy, but also a space where a new vision for society is actively taught and practiced. Its founding principles state:
“The university carries out its cultural and artistic activities with the understanding that ‘women’s freedom is the freedom of the whole society.’ […] It takes a leading role in changing sexist behaviour in society. […] It also develops its struggle against racism, religion, sexism, and scientism through cultural and artistic activities that promote the morality of freedom, the ideology of women’s liberation, and the system of democratic women’s confederalism.” Women and girls, mainly between the ages of 16 and 27, are admitted after passing an examination. The aim is to provide advanced training to those already experienced in their field.

There are four areas of training, each lasting three years:
• Music: individual and group lessons, choir, and instrumental. At the end, an orchestra will be formed as a symbol of the Democratic Nation of women.
• Theatre: In the first two years, lessons focus mainly on technique and theory, while in the final year, theatre groups will be formed.
• Cinema: Theoretical and practical courses in each related specialty; at the end, a short film will be produced.
• Sculpture and Fine Arts: In collaboration with the association of women sculptors and painters, students will showcase their work in exhibitions and displays at the end of the course.

“But,” explains Evîn, “our rules are flexible. It’s possible for a course planned for three years to be extended to four or even five years. The goal is to educate good artists.”

The anniversary of Mezgîn’s martyrdom was commemorated at the Women’s High University for Art and Culture in Haseke. Mezgîn, born Gurbet Aydın in 1962 in a village near Batman in Northern Kurdistan, joined the Kurdish liberation movement in 1980. She later moved to Europe to promote Kurdish culture, art and women’s freedom through her work. She was martyred in the mountains of Kurdistan on the 11th of May 1992. Her legacy, however, continues to inspire new generations of Kurdish women, and the development of art and culture in Kurdistan for many years.

During the commemoration, it wasn’t only Mezgîn who was remembered, but also all the martyrs who, through their sacrifice, made this revolution possible. Many of them were singers, dancers, or talented actors. In fact, to be a true revolutionary, you must also be an artist—and a real artist is also a revolutionary, because they shape society.

At the end of the commemoration, Evîn shared her feelings with us:
“When I went to university, everything was very cold. The goal of the education system wasn’t to shape personalities capable of building society—it was just to memorise information to pass exams. But here, the aim is to form people who can play a meaningful role in society. At the beginning, I felt a great sense of responsibility. I had to play a role in the lives of 46 women, and I was a bit afraid. But after three months, when I saw the results, I realized that we really can create change.
Today, I know that joyful and beautiful days lie ahead for women, and this will happen thanks to the future artists who will be educated in this university. And this is not only for Kurdish women, or for the women of Mesopotamia, Syria, or the Middle East—but for all the women of the world.”

Raqqa Canton General Assembly held its first meeting with the assemblies and communes in Manbij, Raqqa, Tabqa and Deir ez-Zor. The meeting was held in Mishwar Hall in Raqqa with the slogan “Communes are the guarantee of the democratic nation“.

Members of the assemblies in 4 cantons, representatives of civil society organizations, citizens, the co-presidency and representatives of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria attended the meeting.

Hisên El Osman, co-chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, said: “The New Social Contract gave a major role to the assemblies and communes in the decision-making stages. According to the contract, every citizen can participate in decision-making processes so that decisions are not centralized.”

Democratic Autonomous Administration co-chair Bêrîvan Xalid said: “Our revolution is the revolution of the communes, the revolution of women and a social revolution. On this basis, we are moving towards establishing our governance and our autonomous forces. You became the basis of the defeat of the central government.”

Heyfa El Ebdullah, co-chair of the General Council of Raqqa Canton, read and discussed the four topics of the meeting: commune, society and life, communal economy, women’s projects and moral society.

At the meeting, a theater play about the role of women in society was performed by Koma Hîlala Zêrîn to commemorate Martyr Sakine Cansız.

Some decisions taken at the end of the meeting were as follows:

• Increasing the level of struggle through actions and events to ensure the physical freedom of Leader Abdullah Öcalan.
• Holding panels, meetings and seminars for the public so that they understand the work of the people’s assemblies and the real duties of the communes.
• Communes will be represented by co-chairs.
• Implementation of the Social Contract approved by the Democratic People’s Assembly of Northern and Eastern Syria.
• The assemblies and communes hold annual dialogue workshops.
• Providing social and economic support to communes.

Pointing out that the women have improved the economy in Rojava, Armanc Mihemed, executive of the Economy Committee of Kongra Star, said that they have achieved significant successes by realizing many projects.

In history, the economy was improved by women; however, all economic gains of women were taken by men due to the patriarchal mentality. After the revolution in Rojava, the women working in the economy have conducted many significant projects. One of the most important committees of Kongra Star is the Economic Committee. The committee has developed many projects to empower women’s economy. The committee has worked coordinately with cooperatives in trade, agriculture, textile, food and industry areas. Armanc Mihemed, executive of the Economy Committee of Kongra Star, spoke to NuJINHA about the activities of the committee.

“Women put the communal economy into effect”

Stating that the economy was created by women thousands of years ago, Armanc Mihemed said, “Agriculture, and industry were discovered by working women. However, dominant men took away all the economic values of women. After the dominant men took control of the economy, the state system was imposed on society. When the women controlled the economy, they had a communal economy. Women generally thought of the whole society and shared the economic incomes equally. But the dominant men confined women to home as slaves after taking the control of the economy. Although thousands of years have passed, the influence of the male-dominated culture on the economy still continues. Although women are educated and have a great job in the state system, they face great obstacles and difficulties.”

“Women have left their mark in history”

Underlining that the revolution in Rojava paves the way for the revolution in women’s economy, Armanc Mihemed continued to talk as follows: “After the revolution in Rojava, women have improved their economy. The women have left their mark in the economy in history. The women have also played important roles in politics, culture and every part of life. The Revolution in Rojava is actually the women’s revolution.”

“The Economy Committee was formed in 2015”

Noting that the first economic organization of women in Rojava was in 2014, Armanc Mihemed said, “After field works, the Economy Committee was officially formed in 2015. Since then, we have worked to empower women economically. First, the cooperatives were established to support women. Our aim is to support women to improve themselves in the economy in order to stand on their own legs. Women first started working in agriculture and they, of course, faced many difficulties at first. In 2015, many women took part in the committee. We opened our first office in the Cizîrê region. At that time, women got to know what the economy is. Although the customs and traditions of our society posed an obstacle to women, they never gave up and took great steps in the economy.”

“Women developed and realized projects”

Speaking about their economics projects, Armanc Mihemed said, “We carried out many projects in the field of industry, textile and trade within the framework of the perception of the cooperative. We can say that we launched many cooperatives for trial purposes. Although we faced many obstacles, we never stopped. We held meetings and training to tell what the cooperatives are. We opened the Women’s Economy offices in all regions of Northern and Eastern Syria and provided training to the members. In this way, we have overcome the obstacles and difficulties faced by women by struggling. Finally, we opened offices in the liberated Arab regions. Many Arab women took part in the committee. We developed tandoori, textile and oven projects in these regions and many women work in these projects now. We developed an agriculture project in Tirbespiyê district and there are 80 greenhouses in the district now. Nearly 80 women have worked in the greenhouses. We also developed an agriculture project in Dêrik. The women plant vegetables and sell them in the markets.”

“About 3,300 women work for cooperatives”

Drawing attention to their textile projects, Armanc Mihemed said, “We have carried out the textile projects in the Euphrates, Shehba, Cizîr and Dêrê regions. Women sew clothes and sell them in the Lavin clothing shop. Women also produce canned food for winter. These products are sold in the markets. About 3,300 women work for the cooperatives. We have carried out our tandoori projects. In Serêkaniyê, women baked bread during the attacks to not leave the people hungry. Women voluntarily participate in the economy. We want to develop more projects for women according to their demands.”

New projects

Stating that women have taken part in the economy again after the revolution in Rojava, Armanc Mihemed said, “We want to develop more projects for women in the future. This year, we will establish a special academy and provide ideological training there. We also want to develop a livestock development project in communes. Our tandoori and agriculture projects will continue. If women have economics projects, we will support them to realize their projects.”

Part 10: Women keep culture alive

Cultural and artistic activities are the most important activities in Rojava. While many projects have been conducted with the participation of women, children and young people from ethical groups, Rûken Mihemed, executive of the Hîlala Zêrîn Culture and Art Movement, emphasized that the post-revolution culture is kept alive by women.

We can say that the culture has been renewed and modernized in the 21st century by women. After the revolution in Rojava, cultural and artistic activities have been carried out; many songs have been written, theater plays have been staged and films have been shot about the resistance. Women founded Hîlala Zêrin, women’s culture and art movement, in 2016 in Rojava. Many women, children and youth take part in the activities of the Hîlala Zêrin. We spoke to Rûken Mihemed, executive of the Hîlala Zêrîn Culture and Art Movement, about their activities.

“Hîlala Zêrîn was founded in 2016”

Stating that there were cultural and artistic activities in Rojava before the revolution, Rûken Mihemed said that women couldn’t participate in these activities due to social pressure. “After the revolution, women began to organize themselves in culture and art. The cultures of the peoples were destroyed; their languages were assimilated by the sovereign powers. We needed an organization to revive, create and weave our culture. In 2016, we officially founded Hîlala Zêrîn.”

“We have protected the legacy of women”

Underlining that they have protected and kept alive the legacy of the Rojava Kurdistan revolution, Rûken Mihemed stated,”We prepared a regulation according to the women’s movement and its history. Since the foundation of the movement, important cultural and artistic activities have been carried out. Our aim is to protect and keep alive the legacy of the Revolution in Rojava, also known as women’s revolution. We held our first congress in 2017 with the participation of 200 delegates consisting of Arab, Kurdish, Syriac and Circassian women. At the first congress, we determined the name of the movement as Kevana Zêrin. We opened our first offices in Afrin and Aleppo after the congress. We opened a school for children. We have carried out works that reveal women’s ability in art.”

“We have revealed the original culture of women”

Rûken Mihemed continued to talk as follows: “Sovereign states constantly attack the culture and history of the peoples. We can see this in Afrin, where the attacks aim to destroy the historical sites and change the demographic structure. The attacks on Til Xelef, a historical town of Serêkaniyê, also show this. For this reason, we first began to research and collect the archives and voices of women. We found many ancient records and archives of women. We have also revealed the culture of folklore, food, old instruments, songs, dengbêj and clothing of women. We have revealed the original culture of women. Our aim is to document, renew/modernize the culture of peoples. We have formed folklore and dengbêj groups consisting of mothers. At the beginning, women were shy or had difficulties due to the customs and traditions of the society, but they have overcome those difficulties and appeared on the stage.”

“We have passed down the fairy tale culture”

Pointing to the old tales, Rûken Mihemed said, “We have collected and documented old fairy tales. We developed a project about the old fairy tales with JIN TV to pass down the fairy tale culture. We have produced a television program. In the program, women, especially mothers, tell old fairy tales. The Culture and Art Committee (of Kongra Star) holds a festival once a year with the participation of many organizations. Women have written many songs about the revolution. Culture and art have played an important role in the revolution.”

“Arab women play an important role in the culture and art”

Speaking about the cultural and artistic activities in Arab regions, Rûken Mihemed said, “Arab children were confined to their homes at the age of 12-13 by their families, we broke this mentality. Arab women participate in activities with their children now. After we opened culture and art centers in Arab regions, Arab women began to participate in these activities. Arab women have struggled to keep their culture and arts alive. This shows that Arab women understand the democratic nation project of leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan). Now, there are many theater, folklore and musical groups in the Arab regions. Arab women play an important role in the culture and art.”

Cultural and vocational training

Emphasizing that they have realized the Cultural Revolution within the revolution, Rûken Mihemed said, “Women carrying out cultural and artistic activities have played a great role in the activities for the International Women’s Day, March 8, Newroz celebrations and Hozan Mizgin commemoration events. We, as Hîlala Zêrin, composed a song about Hozan Mizgin. We see Eyşe Şan, Meryem Xan and Hozan Mizgin as our art teachers. We have realized the Cultural Revolution within the revolution (Revolution in Rojava). We have tried to form our own system against the capitalist system.”

Projects for children

Stating that they have developed projects for children, Rûken Mihemed said that they have organized many courses such as baglama, guitar, kaval and violin courses for children. “A children’s festival has been held for six years. The last four festivals were organized under the leadership of Hilala Zêrin,” she said.

They will open the Women’s Culture and Art Academy

Speaking about their new projects, Rûken Mihemed said, “We opened Berçem Studio last year. We recorded two songs for Zeynep Kınacı (Zilan) in the studio. We will open the Culture and Art Academy. We will support the women, who lost their husbands in war, in culture and art. We have recently worked on opening the Women’s Culture and Art Academy. We will keep organizing language courses.”

Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Movement contributes to the development of children by opening painting courses in many cities, because art has many positive effects, such as increasing concentration and self-confidence.

Besma Hüseyin Anter, who is both an art and music teacher, gives painting training to children aged 7-14 in the painting group affiliated with Hilala Zêrîn. Anter has been in Hesekê for 9 months. She has two groups of students, one up to the 6th grade, and the second from the 7th grade. Pointing out that painting, which reveals the perception, skill and creative power of children, is both a tool of communication and self-expression, Besma said: “Learning new things is beneficial for the development of children and children are happy. They like to paint. They started with small drawings, but today they can draw any picture they want.”

Two days a week courses

Stating that they are content with two days a week so that children do not have difficulties with school time, Anter said: “It is good to have two groups. Children’s ages matter. The education of young and teenager’s children inevitably causes disruptions. For this reason, rapid progress is made with training in two groups.”

Painting exhibition

Canda Abdulkadir said that the participation increased over time. They started with pencil drawings, then they moved on to colour drawing, and now they are working with various materials. Sharing that they will soon open an exhibition, Canda Abdulkadir added: “The Kezwan Culture and Art Center within Hîlala Zêrin is a suitable environment for painting works. That’s why we’re here.”

I love drawing

Levent Lokman Abdulrahman, who is 15 years old, said that he loves painting and has been doing that for 4-5 years. He joined the painting group affiliated to Hîlala Zêrîn for about a month to become stronger in painting techniques.

The cultural movement Hîlala Zêrin mainly carries out educational work and cultural self-organization work with women and children in Northern and Eastern Syria. Its approach is to bring people of different ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic identities together on an artistic and cultural level and to encourage them in their creativity.

Hîlala Zêrîn has made it its mission to preserve women’s history and reality and to shed light on women’s past. In particular, structures of women’s liberation and the culture of communal society are promoted on an artistic level. In short, communal society means a grassroots, ecological society in which women are liberated. This idea of ​​communal society has a deep historical dimension, dating back to the Neolithic. This is also reflected in the name of the association. Hîlal means crescent moon and Zêrîn means golden. This refers to the “Fertile Crescent”, a crescent-shaped territory demarcated by the Zagros and Tauros Mountains, where the first steps of the Neolithic Revolution and the Urban Revolution took place, and where there is clear evidence of early matriarchal societies.

The organization that preceded Hîlala Zêrîn was the Kevana Zêrîn movement, which was founded in Qamishlo in 2016. In 2020, the movement was renamed Hîlala Zêrîn. Hîlala Zêrîn is organized in Qamishlo, Hesekê, Shehba and Kobanê Canton. Typical of the grassroots organizations in Rojava and Northern Syria, the work is carried out by self-organized committees. For example, there are media and archives committees, education committees, and diplomatic committees. Especially in the city centers, Hîlala Zêrîn runs a whole range of cultural activities, from workshops for music and instruments to theater and folklore and painting.

The diplomatic committee builds up diplomatic networks beyond the Middle East on a cultural and artistic level, and also on an international level. This involves contact with cultural and artistic institutions as well as with artists and intellectuals. Through culture and art, the revolution of Rojava is thus further publicized.

For this year, the movement is preparing to build facilities for film production. The cultural movement attaches particular importance to the education of children. Young people aged 6 to 15 are taught how to express themselves and their culture through folklore, theater and painting. These activities are attended by people from all ethnic and cultural groups in North and East Syria.

Danger of extinction has been overcome

Fewaze Mihemed of the Cultural Movement Coordinator Hîlala Zêrîn explains: “Hîlala Zêrîn has organized to bring back to light the identities that have been on the brink of extinction through cultural genocide. The mental and cultural assimilation of the peoples had to be broken. This is exactly the role that Hîlala Zêrîn played and continues to play.”

Mihemed criticizes that, because of the patriarchy, women were denied the opportunity to bring their art into society: “Thanks to the Rojava revolution, which is supported by the women’s liberation paradigm of Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan], women have gained the opportunity to express themselves get to know yourself. Women have come together to defend their rights and learn their own strength. Today, women step onto the stage and show off their skills without any problem; they can express themselves however they want. The feelings they have been deprived of for years are revived through art. Through culture and art, they convey their passion, pain, excitement and love for life.”

Organized power of women

Mihemed says that Hîlala Zêrîn prioritizes education: “Wherever there are women, there is Hîlala Zêrîn, comprehensive efforts are made to reach all women. Organized women are essential for preserving and defending the culture. We are very interested in all activities of groups affiliated with Hîlala Zêrîn, but we are not limited to this. Our priority is organizing women. As a cultural movement Hîlala Zêrîn, our ultimate goal is to reach women in all cities. Disorganized and uneducated women mean a disorganized and uneducated society. The mental change of women causes the change of society.”

Focus on education

The education of children in particular is of great importance, says Mihemed and continues: “A child who does not grow up with his own culture cannot protect his country or his culture. So that the children can develop well, we provide cultural education, which we will continue to expand.”