Damascus, May 18 (SANA) A five-day Kurdish cultural festival concluded Sunday in Damascus with musical and folkloric performances highlighting Kurdish heritage as part of Syria’s broader cultural identity.
The closing events of the Kurdish Culture Days festival, held at the Dummar Cultural Complex under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture, featured performances by the Ashti and Lamasat Band, including traditional dances and percussion shows inspired by Kurdish folklore.
Festival supervisor Idris Murad told SANA the event marked the first time a program dedicated to Kurdish cultural expression had been presented on a Damascus stage in this format, combining music, theater, cinema and lectures.
Murad said audience engagement inside the venue and across social media platforms reflected growing public interest in Syria’s cultural diversity.
“There is no language barrier preventing Syrians from connecting with one another’s cultures,” he said, describing Syrian culture as “a colorful jewel” shaped by its multiple traditions and communities.
He added that preparations for the festival took four months and coincided with celebrations marking Kurdish Language Day, which includes activities related to literature, poetry, theater and the arts.
Murad said the festival helped bring renewed visibility to Kurdish cultural activities in Syria after years of limited representation.
Mohammad Sayyah Abdul Aal, supervisor of the Lamasat band, said such events contribute to strengthening social harmony and cultural understanding among Syrians.
Actor and theater director Abdul Jabbar Habib said he was pleased to see the Kurdish language represented on a Damascus stage for the first time in decades, adding that art has the ability to unite communities.
Several attendees called for expanding future editions of the festival, while others urged improvements to technical infrastructure following electricity disruptions during some performances.
The festival opened Wednesday with a cultural and artistic program celebrating the Kurdish language and heritage through performances and literary events presented in Damascus for the first time.
N.J/ABD
