Damascus, Dec. 28 (SANA) The Syrian National Library in Damascus hosted the cultural event “Jasmine Meets Olive” on Saturday, highlighting Syria’s rich cultural diversity and celebrating the unity between Arab and Kurdish communities. The event also honored individuals who supported families displaced from Eastern Ghouta to Afrin in 2018.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture’s Directorate of Children’s Culture, the event featured an art exhibition showcasing 82 works by 38 children and adolescents from Arab and Kurdish backgrounds. Their creations, including paintings and handcrafted items, were presented by the Anbar Community Center in collaboration with the Idleb Women’s Empowerment Support Center.
The celebration included musical and theatrical performances emphasizing shared cultural heritage. Kurdish musician Fathi Sheikho’s buzuq performance and the Salmiya-based choir Hanaya performed Damascene folk songs alongside patriotic classics, while young actors from the “Stars of Free Syria” troupe honored martyrs of the Syrian revolution.
Aref Jweijati, Deputy Director of Children’s Culture at the Ministry of Culture, said the event aimed to promote coexistence after decades of exclusionary policies of the former regime, while Salah al-Din Karo, Director of Afrin Religious Endowments, praised the humanitarian support provided by Afrin residents to displaced families.
The exhibition highlighted collaboration between Arab and Kurdish youth, reflecting a shared commitment to cultural expression and national unity. Students like Nazliya Nasser of Afrin expressed aspirations for freedom and empowerment through mandala-inspired artwork, while others showcased embroidery, woodworking, and recycled crafts, guided by local empowerment programs.
Bervian Bozo, coordinator of the Anbar Center’s Afrin office, emphasized that the event reinforced social cohesion between Syria’s Arab and Kurdish communities. Khaled Taffour, director of Afrin’s Teacher Preparation Institute, added that cultural diversity is a source of national strength when nurtured through dialogue and cooperation.
The event concluded with tributes to community leaders who supported displaced families, along with performances, poetry readings, and theatrical sketches, underscoring the resilience and unity of Syrians across ethnic and cultural lines.
R.A
