Afrin cultural festival opens in Bonn, showcasing Kurdish art and creativity

Afrin cultural festival opens in Bonn, showcasing Kurdish art and creativity

The German city of Bonn is hosting a cultural and artistic festival dedicated to Afrin, the predominantly Kurdish city in northern Syria, offering a platform for Kurdish artists to present their work to European audiences.

The Afrin Art Festival aims to highlight the rich artistic traditions of the region while providing opportunities for artists from Afrin and the wider Kurdish community to connect, collaborate, and gain greater international visibility.

Artist explores new materials due to health challenges

Among the featured artists is sculptor Zhyan Saeed, who is debuting a new collection created with an innovative material she developed herself. Saeed explained that health issues affecting her hands have prevented her from working with stone, her primary medium, prompting her to explore alternative techniques.

“This year I tried something new because I could not work with stone due to a health condition in my hands,” she told Rudaw. “I created a new material from paper paste. Other artists use similar methods, but each artist prepares it differently. Once it dries, it becomes strong and durable—strong enough to be used even for making furniture.”

Saeed’s new pieces on display in Bonn explore themes connected to the relationship between humanity, the earth, and the sky.

Festival celebrates Afrin’s culture amid ongoing displacement

The festival spans three days and opened on Saturday, attracting visitors from across Germany and beyond. Organizers hope the event will help preserve Afrin’s cultural identity at a time when its native population continues to face hardship.

Afrin, located in northwest Syria, is a historically Kurdish-majority city. In early 2018, Turkish-backed Syrian armed groups seized the region, leading to the displacement of thousands of Kurdish residents. Many of those displaced families continue to live in the nearby Shahba region under challenging conditions.

Concerns over human rights abuses in Afrin

Multiple international organizations have documented ongoing human rights violations in Afrin since the 2018 takeover, including forced displacement, property confiscation, and abuses targeting the remaining Kurdish population. Cultural activists say events like the Bonn festival play an essential role in keeping Afrin’s artistic identity alive despite the city’s turmoil.

The Afrin Art Festival serves as a reminder of the region’s deep cultural heritage while amplifying Kurdish artistic voices on the international stage.