On 1 November is World Kobanê Day. People around the world are preparing events, actions and demonstrations to mark this day.

This year‘s World Kobanê Day means claiming the legacy of the Kobanê resistance, means standing against the occupation of Afrin and increasing calls for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan, say the promoters of the appeal.

The appeal says: “The so-called Islamic State’s attacks on the rooted peoples, cultures and veins of humanity of the Middle East took place in front of the eyes of global powers and regional states. Furthermore, by forcing all of us to become spectators and witnesses of these most brutal atrocities of our age, like violence, fear and desperation were forced into our lives”.

The appeal continues: “Through the resistance of the women and men of the nameless, unrecognised besieged town of Kobanê, who brought forward hope against desperation, resistance against fear, light against darkness, diversity against uniformity, this grim destiny was put to an end, of course with immense sacrifices. As in the personage of Arîn Mîrkan, this new history was able to be written through great sacrifices, courage, faith, and a deep love that defends life against death”.

Recalling that “this honorable resistance does not belong to Kobanê only, but came to belong to all of humanity”, the promoters adds that “1 November has been declared as World Kobanê Day, becoming the day on which these historical developments, international solidarity and cooperation spread to the squares and public spaces”.

Because Kobanê was “not only the beginning of resistance, but also of a collective life proliferating in Rojava and Northern Syria. Against the global and regional powers which for their interests and profits turned the Middle East into an unliveable place, it became an oasis based on the peoples‘, oppressed identities‘, women’s strives for a peaceful, collective life. From the darkness of ISIS, it took up a hopeful road towards revolution for all peoples”.

The appeal also recalls how “the source of inspiration, faith and thought for those who resisted in Kobanê, for those who create the revolution in Rojava is the Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is held on the prison island of Imrali under torture and isolation”.

And “standing with the revolution in Rojava means standing with Öcalan, breaking his total isolation in prison and defending his freedom”, says the appeal which ends with a call “on all peoples, women, oppressed classes and identities, all those brutalised and excluded by capitalist modernity, to salute the Kobanê resistance on World Kobanê Day 2018 by condemning the occupation of Afrin and by defending the freedom of Leader Öcalan!”

The appeal published to mark the occasion can be downloaded here http://worldkobaneday.com/2018/10/19/call-for-global-day-of-kobane-1-november-2018/

The promoters ask people to share this appeal on social media to maximise participation.