The Zilan Kurdish Women's Festival, traditionally organised by the British Roj Women's Council kicks off on Friday.

The festival reaches its edition 15 and this year its main slogan will be "Defending Afrin means defending the Women's Struggle”.

Furthermore the festival, which will end on Saturday, is dedicated to internationalist freedom fighter and YPJ member, Hêlîn Qereçox (Anna Campbell), who fell martyr defending Afrin.

Roj Women's Council underlined its “respect and tribute to Zilan and Hêlîn and to all revolutionary martyrs who gave their heart to the fight for freedom. We express our sincere gratitude for this beautiful and honorable life."

Program

The festival will see panels and concerts, local costume shows, films screening and other activities.

There will also be a variety of food and stands as well as children's nurseries and activities.

The festival will open with a panel at the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey on Friday, at 6 pm.

Victoria Bridges, Sarah Glynn, EMP Julie Ward and Rohash Afrin on behalf of Kongra Star will be talking on ‘Countering Turkish government’s occupation of Afrin with Women Resistance and Internationalist Solidarity’.

They will address the latest developments in Afrin and the Federation of Northern Syria. There will be cinema and a creche for kids.

The Festival will also present a Kurdish women's fashion show as well as music and local dishes.

The final program at the Kurdish Community Centre will see the performance of artists Nadia Visser, beautiful dengbej Suna Alan, Sevim Aslan.

Anna Campbell’s father, Dirk and brother Adam will attend the second day of the festival. Activities begin at 3pm on Saturday.