GULNAR ROJ

Aleppo- Hîlala Zêrîn Women’s Cultural Movement was founded in 2015. The movement opened a cultural center in the Cizre Region in 2016, in the Afrin region in 2017, in Kobanî on March 2, 2018, and in Aleppo on January 26, 2022. Before the opening of the center in Aleppo, women carried out cultural activities at the Cemil Horo Culture and Art Center. We spoke to women working for the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Center in Aleppo about their artistic activities and events

Only women work for the center

“After working for a long time, we opened the center in Aleppo. Only women can work for the center. There are Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Centers in every region of Rojava Kurdistan. The first center was opened in the Cizre Region and then in Afrin, currently under the occupation of Turkey. Before the occupation of Afrin, we carried out our activities in Afrin. We opened a center in Aleppo on January 26, 2022. Hilala Zêrîn aims to preserve the culture of mothers,” Biharîn Sîno, a member of the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Center in Aleppo, told us.

It tries to reach all women interested in art

Biharîn Sîno stated that Hîlala Zêrîn creates a love of culture in hearts. “Hîlala Zêrîn tries to reach all women who are interested in art. Women, children, and young people come together under the umbrella of Hîlala Zêrîn. We are still working on promoting our activities in Aleppo. We have already begun to form groups such as musical, theater, and photography groups. Many people have sent their children to the center to receive art education. This shows us how our families are deeply bound up with their culture. As members of Hîlala Zêrîn, our aim is to give musical education to children and teach them our history in order to understand how much our culture has been destroyed,” she said.

Children also participate in artistic activities

Hemrin Birhat, another member of the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Center in Aleppo, emphasized that young people should protect their culture from extinction. “Before the opening of the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Center in Aleppo, I worked for the Cemil Horo Culture and Art Center. When the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Center was opened here, I began to work for it. Until now, we have formed a group of soloists, a choir, and a children's singing group. I play the tanbur and sing songs. I have tried to learn how to play musical instruments such as violin and harp. I teach children how to sing. Now, we are working to prepare a program for International Women’s Day. Every society can survive by preserving its own culture. Many women and young people in NE Syria participate in cultural and artistic activities and renew their culture through various means. All parents should send their children to cultural centers to keep their culture alive,” Hemrin Birhat said.

“We will keep our culture alive with Hilala Zêrîn”

Axin Ardil is also a member of the Hîlala Zêrîn Cultural Center in Aleppo. “I teach children songs and theater. The door of our center is open for all women and children. In order to preserve our culture, we invite every mother to love Kurdish culture with their children. We will keep our culture alive with Hilala Zêrîn.”