The Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F) organized the fourth edition of the Paris Kurdish Cultural Festival, which kicked off on 17 May and will last till 23 May. The festival is organized in collaboration with the Danielle Mitterrand Foundation, the Paris City Hall, the 10th arrondissement City Hall, the Montreuil City Hall, the France-Kurdistan Solidarity Association, the Institute for Reflection and Studies on Kurdistan (IREK), and the Kurdistan Arts and Culture Association (ACK).

Murat Batgî's stand-up

Today, Monday, at 7 p.m. at the CDK-Paris (16 rue d'Enghien, 75010 Paris), the festival will present a stand-up by comedian Mûrat Batgî. Recognized as the pioneer of Kurdish stand-up, Batgî  returns to the stage after an absence of more than ten years with a show entitled "Matruşka." This show unveils intertwined stories, as well as emotions deeply connected to the events he shares with his audience.

Originally from the Kurdish capital of Amed (Diyarbakır), Mûrat Batgî led various theatrical, linguistic, and comedy activities at the Cultural Center of Mesopotamia (MKM) between 1992 and 2010. He began performing stand-up in Kurdish in 2002. His play "Zimandirej" has been performed over 500 times. The comedian is also a screenwriter, having notably written the script for the film "Yangın Var." He has been living in Canada since 2016.

The festival

The festival offers a week rich in discoveries and emotions. This unique festival in France will take place in Paris and several cities in the Île-de-France region, offering an immersion in the richness of Kurdish cultural heritage. The festival aims to share, promote, and preserve this endangered culture, while celebrating one of the oldest peoples of Mesopotamia. It's a genuine opportunity to discover cultural diversity and highlight the importance of protecting these treasures. The program includes performances, culinary tastings, children's activities, and exhibitions. The highlight of the festival will be a memorable concert on the final day, featuring renowned Kurdish artists, including the Koma Ma collective, a young and dynamic group from Diyarbakir, in the heart of Kurdistan.