Damascus, Oct. 15 (SANA) Syrian novelist Jan Dost reviewed the history of Kurdish literature in Syria on Wednesday, tracing its development from oral traditions to modern fiction and examining the role of Kurdish-language publications in preserving cultural heritage.
In a lecture at the National Library in Damascus titled “A Brief History of Kurdish Literature in Syria: Its Development, Contributions and Challenges,” Dost examined the literary movement’s evolution through successive historical periods, highlighting the emergence of Kurdish journalism and the contributions of poets and writers to Syria’s cultural landscape.
He also discussed the significance of Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, which recognized Kurdish as a national language and affirmed the protection of cultural and linguistic diversity.
From oral traditions to modern literature
Dost traced the development of Kurdish literature through the French Mandate, independence, successive coups and the Baath era, highlighting the emergence of Kurdish journalism and the role of Hawar magazine in promoting Kurdish writing and poetry.
Founded nearly a century ago in Damascus, Hawar helped establish the foundations of Kurdish journalism and provided a platform for pioneering literary figures and poets.
Dost highlighted the contributions of early poets to Kurdish poetry and the role of oral traditions, including epics, songs and poems recited at public gatherings, in preserving collective memory and passing cultural heritage from one generation to the next.
These traditions played a particularly important role when opportunities for publishing and education in Kurdish were limited, he said.
He also examined the development of Kurdish prose, short stories and novels, noting that their growth depended on a stable environment and greater opportunities for literary expression and publication.
Restrictions imposed under Baath rule and the deposed regime on the use of Kurdish and writing in the language limited its cultural presence but did not halt literary production or efforts to preserve the language’s heritage.
Dost also highlighted the growth of Kurdish literature and periodicals in Syria in subsequent periods, emphasizing the role of writers in developing the language and its literary styles. He stressed the importance of enabling younger generations to build on these contributions and expand Kurdish literature’s place in Syria’s cultural life.
Cultural openness and national identity
Speaking to SANA, Dost said greater openness to Syria’s diverse cultures, particularly Kurdish culture, could strengthen social cohesion and reinforce a shared Syrian national identity.
He said Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2026, which recognized Kurdish as a national language and affirmed the protection of cultural and linguistic diversity, creates new opportunities for Kurdish literature to develop and flourish in Syria.
Literature as a bridge between communities
Studying the history of Kurdish literature helps document the contributions of its writers and poets and situate their experiences within Syria’s broader cultural landscape. It also encourages cultural exchange and highlights literature’s role in preserving collective memory and fostering dialogue and mutual understanding.
The lecture forms part of broader efforts to engage with Syria’s linguistic and cultural diversity and revisit literary traditions that have helped shape the country’s cultural identity.
About Jan Dost
Born in Ayn al-Arab, Aleppo province, in 1965, Jan Dost is a Syrian novelist, poet, writer and translator. He studied natural sciences at the University of Aleppo and writes in both Kurdish and Arabic. His works of fiction, poetry and translation have been translated into several other languages and explore themes of memory, identity, history and the Syrian human experience.
N.J/ABD
