Rome recognises Kobanê as a ‘sister city’

The Municipality of Rome has taken the decision to recognise the Kobanê municipality as a ‘sister city’. Councillor Gianluca Peciola said the resistance and the new system they had developed were influential in the taking of this decision.

The Municipality of Rome has taken the decision to recognise the Kobanê municipality as a ‘sister city’. Councillor Gianluca Peciola said the resistance put up by the people of the city and the new system they had developed were influential in the taking of this decision. Peciola added that they would carry on campaigning in the Italian Parliament for the recognition of the system in the whole of Rojava.  

Following proposals made by the Left Ecological and Freedom Party (SEL), the PD, M5S, Lista Marchini and Alleanza Popolare Nazionale (Popular National Alliance) two weeks ago, the Rome municipality has accepted the motion to recognise Kobanê as a ‘sister city’. The Rojava flag was then raised on the city hall. Following this momentous decision, SEL councillor Gianluca Peciola attended the "Kobanê Reconstruction Conference” in Amed representing the Rome municipality at the weekend.  

'Everyone should do their utmost for Kobanê and the Kurdish people’

Gianluca Peciola spoke at the conference, saying that they believed everyone should do all they can for Kobanê and the Kurdish people. He said that ISIS was not only a threat to Kobanê and the Kurdish people, but was also a threat to all the peoples of the world.

Paciola said the most influential factors in the decision taken by the Rome Municipality was the resistance put up in Kobanê and the new system of life that is being constructed there.

We wanted to hold the second conference in Rome 

Peciola said there had been in depth discussion at the conference regarding the reconstruction of Kobanê, adding that they had wanted a second conference on the reconstruction process to be held in Rome, but that they had subsequently learned the second conference would take place in Hamburg. Peciola said they would attend this second conference and endeavour to have Kobanê and Rojava recognised politically by the Italian Parliament.

Italian deputies to go to Kobanê

Peciola said in the near future he was planning to accompany a group of Italian parliamentarians to Kobanê to demonstrate their support.