Kirkuk’s Hawar Theater presents Kurdish genocide narrative at Amman International Festival

Kirkuk’s Hawar Theater presents Kurdish genocide narrative at Amman International Festival

The Hawar Theater Group from Kirkuk has taken its acclaimed monodrama “Salma” to the Amman International Theater Festival, bringing the story of the Halabja chemical attack, the Kurdish genocide, the Anfal campaign, and the forced displacement of Kurdish communities to an international audience.

Only Kurdistan Region production featured at the festival

The festival, running for seven days from November 24, includes theatrical works from 18 countries, with “Salma” serving as the sole representative from the Kurdistan Region. Directed by Nezhad Najm, the production draws on real accounts and collective memory to portray decades of Kurdish suffering and resilience.

Bilingual performance tailored for Arab audiences

Director Najm said the Amman performance was presented in both Kurdish and Arabic to better engage regional audiences. Kurdish actor Hawar Fares performed the monodrama alongside Tunisian actress Amna Abdullah, creating a bi-national cast specifically for this festival edition.

Najm added that the audience and organizers responded warmly to the performance, expressing optimism that “Salma” may receive recognition at this year’s awards.

A production with a global footprint

The monodrama has been staged in 15 countries prior to the Amman festival and is a joint artistic collaboration between Kurdistan and France. Its story focuses on the Halabja attack and the wider atrocities inflicted during the Anfal campaign, using personal narrative to reflect the broader tragedy experienced by Kurdish communities.

Originally prepared in Kurdish and English, the work has been adapted into various languages depending on the host country. This iteration, presented in Kurdish and Arabic, was specifically tailored for audiences in Jordan.

Award-winning artistic team

“Salma” was written by Dilshad Mustafa, with scenography and direction by Nezhad Najm. The production has now been showcased in 16 countries and has received several international awards throughout its global tour.