Internationalist Berxwedan: The experience of Rojava can be used also in Italy

Internationalist Zeryan Berxwedan said that they are trying to carry the ideology of the revolution in Rojava to their countries and emphasized that ideological solidarity is extremely important to defend the revolution. Stating that the foundation of the Rojava revolution is the philosophy of Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, Zeryan Berxwedan said: “As Leader Apo said, we have to analyze our societies and find humane solutions for our society. Therefore, Abdullah Öcalan’s thought is that internationalist studies are as important as those in Rojava. It is extremely important for the continuation of our lands.”

Zeryan Berxwedan, one of the delegates to the 1st Rojava Internationalist Conference, which saw the participation of all internationalist structures and institutions in Rojava, talked to ANF about the conference.

What did the first Rojava Internationalist Conference mean to you?

The conference was very emotional for me. First of all, because we came together as internationalists to talk about issues that are important here or in our countries. Another impressive thing was that you had friends speaking 27 different languages ​​at the conference. Personally, I have never met so many comrades from different parts of the world in Italy before.

This means that as society and comrades we need a stronger unity in the world to go beyond the system and create something else. The conference was definitely very emotional. It gave energy and strength on an emotional level to continue a work that is not only in Rojava but also in our countries. In contact with other countries in the world, we understand that the fundamental problem is always the same, the system that oppresses and kills various societies in different parts of the world.

What was discussed regarding the role of women in internationalism?

The role of women is extremely important. Because women have been oppressed by this system for 5,000 years. As a result, women experience this system much more severely than men. In internationalism, women can be pioneers both ideologically and practically. The role of women internationalists is very important to convey the values ​​of humanity and equality that we do not usually find in our countries.

What were the key points that emerged at the conference?

It was important that we got together. Because we deepened the internationalist work in Rojava. There are different plans. Here in Rojava there are more ideological formations; trying to connect more internationalists from various structures. But above all, one of the most important points for me is to try to understand how we will transfer the energy and ideology of the Rojava Revolution to our countries and how we will continue this work. Because most of the time, when we return to our countries, we feel lost and cannot understand how to continue this revolutionary work.

Because we change. We change our perspective; we change our personality. When we return to our world, to our societies, we often do not know how to continue revolutionary work. One of the important points of the conference, one of its plans, was how to continue the revolutionary work here and take it to our countries.

What kind of international revolution experience did the Rojava Revolution reveal?

The Rojava Revolution has had a great impact on internationalism and internationalist comrades. Because it is a new hope for a new society and a method of social organization. Not only that, but through the ideology of the Kurdish movement, as internationalists, we can work on ourselves to be better, more humane people, disconnected from the individualism and capitalism of our society.

The values ​​of internationalism are definitely one of the core values ​​of humanity, with the desire to create a better humanity, free from wars and repression. As a result, many internationalist comrades are trying to live together a new form of society, deciding to fight against the system we live in every day and, especially, to provide solidarity with oppressed peoples. The basic values ​​are to remain human, to be able to feel the pain of others, because the pain of oppressed peoples is also our pain. Because even if there is one person, the world is not free, a person cannot live freely but continues to live in a violent state.

We need to create international ideological solidarity

Of course, internationalism in Rojava defends the revolution not only with weapons, but with the most classical form of defense; but at the ideological level, we are trying to carry the ideology of this revolution to our countries and lands. Defense is, of course, physical, but also ideological. In order to defend this revolution, it is extremely important to create ideological solidarity not only in Rojava but also in our countries. Internationalist solidarity is very important in these times. Because, as we see in the world, the system renews itself against society and the peoples.

As you can see, a war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in Europe. Therefore, internationalism is extremely important to bring together the various existing ideologies and different societies around the world. Comrades must work on this, understand how we can create a new society free from wars, free from the state and capitalist powers, killing whole communities and people for economic and political interests, as we have seen better lately.

So where does this revolution come from and can it be applied everywhere?

Of course, the basis of this revolution is Abdullah Öcalan’s thought, a revolutionary thought based on humanity and differences. It can be applied anywhere in the world, even in our societies. Of course, it should be applied with many differences. As Leader Apo said, we have to analyze our societies and try to find humane solutions for our society. Therefore, Abdullah Öcalan’s thoughts are extremely important for the continuation of internationalist work here in Rojava as well as in our lands.

Could you feel your own international identity at this conference?

As an Italian, I felt that this conference was important. I started to think about how I could transfer the values ​​of this experience to Italy, to my comrades, friends and family. I think Italy is a country that is very open to change. This conference can be an inspiration not only for Rojava but also for my country. I definitely felt that the problems raised by many of the comrades present at the conference were my problems, as we came from similar places and from the same system.

Therefore, we can create something else. I have hope that we can create our own organization inspired by the Kurdish movement in Italy. Abdullah Öcalan’s ideas are conveyed in a different geography, a different society, a different history, and we can.

Do you have a message for your country or the world public opinion?

I want to tell people around the world that there can be another society, another method of social organization. Here there is hope for everyone, because it is a humanistic organizational system based on differences, love of life, peace, a human ideology that starts with people and society, and is not based on power and the state. What I want to say is that in order to understand where we can find common ground, it is necessary to try to analyze our struggles, analyze our lives within the system, continue this struggle and continue to hope for a different world free from the violence of the world.