Kurdish Women's Library in Sulaymaniyah opens its doors to people

The Kurdish Women's Library, Archive and Research Center, established in Sulaymaniyah, opened its doors to the public.

The project was initiated by academic and journalist Nagihan Akarsel, a member of the Jineoloji Research Center and editor of Jineoloji Journal, who was assassinated on 4 October 2022 in Sulaymaniya.

A two-day event was organized to mark the center's opening. Women gathered in the center's building chanting "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi".

Many women attended the event on the second day. Among the attendees were members of the Catalonia Jineoloji Committee, doctor Barbara Pade Theissen from Germany, the German Jineoloji Committee and women from many parts of the world.

During the event, women donated books that shed light on women's history and struggles, as well as magazines.

Botan Hoşî from the Association of Women Writers, who attended the opening from Northern and Eastern Syria, said: “Many women who wanted to come here could not come due to limited opportunities. The writers from Rojava welcome the opening of the centre."

Fatma Rojhilat, who attended the opening on behalf of KJAR (Coordination Komelgeha Jinên Azad a Rojhilatê Kurdistanê), talked about the work carried out for the Kurdish Women's Library by Nagihan Akarsel.

Rojhilat said: “This place was opened thanks to the work of our comrade Nagihan. We need to protect this work and continue it.”

Sina V. Gemeinsam Kampfen, from Germany, said: “Recording the songs of our great-grandmothers is very important for democratization. It takes us to Mesopotamia, where we find our own culture, past and language. It is very meaningful for us to conduct historical research here. We are here because we want to be a part of this process. We want to contribute to and improve the centre. We are excited about this. All women should be part of this process.”

Sirweey Beyan from South Kurdistan said that the historical struggle of the Kurdish women will be written and researched in this library.

Green Left Party Mardin MP, Beritan Güneş, paid tribute to the murdered women revolutionaries and said: “Everywhere there are Kurdish gains, the enemy hit us. They target our women-based paradigm. They want to strangle the Kurdish struggle. From here, from this library, we give the following message: the torch lit by Nagihan and her comrades will come to life. We will not bow down to fascism."