The 9th Martyr Herekol International Book Fair opened its doors to readers at Freedom Park in Qamishlo in Jazira Canton (Cizîr) under the slogan “Books are the key to civilization.”
The opening ceremony was attended by writers, intellectuals, politicians, artists, the mothers of Martyr Herekol (Hisen Chawish) and Hevrin Khalaf, representatives of the Council of Martyrs’ Families, and officials from the Culture Committee of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
A total of 51 publishing houses and cultural institutions from the four parts of Kurdistan, as well as from Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Belgium, took part in the fair. Nearly 140,000 books in Kurdish, Arabic, Syriac, Turkish, Armenian and English were presented to readers. Of the books exhibited, 43 percent were in Kurdish, 4 percent were children’s books and 40 percent were works by women writers. However, some institutions were unable to attend the fair due to road closures.
The opening ribbon was cut by Hedice Mel, the mother of Martyr Herekol. After a one-minute silence, Serfiraz Sherif, Co-Chair of the Culture Committee of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, delivered a speech.
Sherif said in her speech: “At a time when the drums of war are beating, some choose reading and writing as a path to peace and freedom. The fair highlights culture as a value and the book as a symbol of civilization. The name of Martyr Herekol has become a light in the field of culture and a symbol of the unbreakable will of women.”
Ilyas Seydo, Co-Chair of the Jazira Canton Culture Council, said the fair is not only a book exhibition but also a platform that sheds light on history, strengthens the discourse of freedom and develops social awareness. Seydo said, “Our culture is alive, and its essence is an expression of freedom against dark forces.”