The Reconstructing Kobanê conference, organised under the slogan “rebuilding Kobanê is reclaiming the values of humanity” started in Amed today at the Cegerxwin Youth, Culture and Art Centre Conference Hall. The 2-day conference is being attended by 350 delegates.

The conference is to discuss solutions to the concrete problems faced in the rebuilding of the city which was liberated after a historic resistance by the YPG/YPJ forces against the attacks of the ISIS gangs. The call for the conference was issued by the Kobanê canton co-president Enwer Muslim and is supported by the Amed Municipality, Amed Chamber of Trade and Industry, the Congress of Free Women (KJA), Amed Medical Association, TMMOB Amed branch, Amed Bar Association and Amed branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD).

The 2-day conference is being attended by Democratic Society Congress co-chair Hatip Dicle, PYD co-chair Asya Abdullah, Kobanê canton executive assembly co-president Enwer Muslim, Amed co-mayor Gultan Kisanak, HDP deputies, DBP co-chairs Kamuran Yuksek and Emine Ayna, HDP Imrali delegation member Ceylan Bagriyanik, 43 delegates from the three cantons of Rojava, 78 delegates from South Kurdistan including PUK deputy Evar İbrahim Muhammed and Ali Holu and Behzad Zebari from the KDP.

Furthermore, representatives of political parties from Iran and members of the Reconstruction of Kobanê Platform in Europe are attending the conference as well as 36 delegates from different countries and organisations in Europe including Ulrike Dufner, Turkey branch representative of Henrich Böll Stifung and Selene Verri, representative of the Lions Committee in Support of Kurdish People. A total of 350 delegates are attending the conference.

A photography exhibition comprising images reflecting the most intense period of conflict in Kobanê has been opened in the entrance of the conference hall, while strict security measures are being taken by the organisers of the conference against any provocations.

The conference started with speeches by the co-mayor of Amed Municipality, which is hosting the conference, and will continue with the speeches of Kobanê Canton co-president Enwer Muslim, DTK co-chair Hatip Dicle and PYD co-chair Asya Abdullah. The speeches will be followed by a cine vision show on the Kobanê resistance.

Two panels will be held at the conference under the titles: “Social and political results of the Kobanê war” and “Assessment of the physical conditions of Kobanê and solutions for its reconstruction”.  The first one on the social and political results of the war will be held today, while the panel tomorrow will discuss the concrete solutions and plans for Kobanê.