On February 23rd the comrades from the Internationalist Commune of Rojava and Make Rojava Green Again campaign will come to The Barricade to talk about the current situation in Rojava, the role of internationalists in this revolution and the campaigns they've launched in the past years (Make Rojava Green Again, Women Defend Rojava and Riseup4Rojava). For the occasion, we decided to organise a full day of talks and music dedicated to the revolution in Rojava and to the ideas that are behind this revolution in the hope that this will also serve as an occasion to reflect on how to put those ideas into practice here where we are.

Beside the talk from comrades from Make Rojava Green Again, we will be joined by comrades from Social Ecology Liege that will talk about their attempts in putting into practice in Belgium the ideas of Social Ecology. Moreover, Kurdish comrades will tell us about how Democratic Confederalism was born as an ideology in the Kurdistan Workers' Party and how people have tried to put it into practice in Bakur (Northern Kurdistan).

Program Schedule

14:30: Banner Making for the Climate March of Saturday 29th in solidarity with Rojava
15:30: Talk about Democratic Confederalism and Bakur from Kurdish comrades
16:45: Talk about Social Ecology in Belgium from Social Ecologie Liege
18:00: Talk about Internationalism and Rojava from Make Rojava Green Again
19:00: Dinner

ROJAVA EVERYWHERE

Seven years ago a revolution began in Rojava that was to radically change the lives of millions of people. The Kurds liberated themselves from the dictatorship of the Assad regime and began to organize themselves in self-governed councils, communes and cooperatives. In particular, the autonomous organization of women became the driving force behind the social revolution.

However, since October 2019, following the occupation of the Afrin canton two years ago, the Turkish State has started an invasion of the territories of North-East Syria that puts the revolution under big threat. While the population of Rojava continues their struggle for self-determination, women’s liberation and radical democracy, defending itself against the attacks of jihadist gangs and the fascist Turkish state, the representatives of hypocritical governments shake hands with the Turkish oppressors. While liquidation plans against the revolution in Kurdistan and Syria are made in Ankara, the European, Russian and USA weapon industries become richer day by day as a direct result of the wars in the Middle East. They make profits which cost millions of lives.

In this difficult times, it is necessary to show solidarity and do whatever we can to defend this revolution! 

Supporting the revolution does not only mean joining in demonstrations or sending donations. It means also organizing the revolution where we are, and being connected to our local struggles. Rojava needs us, but even more, we need Rojava. We need hope, faith, inspiration and new perspectives in a collective struggle against oppression. In the Western world the authoritarian state and rightwing movements are celebrating their comeback. Trump, Erdogan and Putin are removing the last masks of democracy. In the face of this developments, most revolutionary movements stand frozen. Marginalized and without perspectives, scattered and estranged, the only role the system leaves for them is to observe and criticize.

Rojava presents a way to overcome this dilemma: Learning from the Kurdish movement means to organize and spread the revolution.

For info about the Internationalist Commune of Rojava and their campaigns:

internationalistcommune.com

makerojavagreenagain.org

womendefendrojava.net

riseup4rojava.org

Talk about Social Ecology in Belgium

Social Ecology advocates a reconstructive and transformative outlook on social and environmental issues, it promotes a directly democratic, confederal politics. It envisions a moral economy that moves beyond scarcity and hierarchy.
An international network is developing advocating for Social Ecology and even in cities like Brussels and Liege the movement is growing. Comrades from Beligum are coming to tell us about what has been organised there and the attempts that have been made to try to put into practice Social Ecology there.

Talk about Internationalism and Rojava

After the resistance of Kobane 2014 the Rojava revolution became known in the whole world. Many leftists started to get interested in Rojava and the concept of "Democratic Confederalism". After this also more and more activists wanted to be part of the Revolution in Northern Syria directly. They wanted to learn how the movement is organizing councils and cooperatives, to see how the movement is in reality combining the three pillars of gender liberation, ecology and radical democracy.
Since 2014 internationalism in Rojava has developed a lot. Many different projects and campaigns emerged. We want to discuss the motivation and experiences of activists who went to Rojava to join the campaign Make Rojava Green Again. A campaign focusing on supporting the ecological part of the revolution, but also presenting it to the outside.

Talk about Democratic Confederalism and Bakur

PKK ideology from socialism to democratic confederalism: an attempt to build Democratic Confederalism in the region of Bakur.