The experience of Rojava emerged as the outcome of the Kurdish people’s long-term struggle. This process carried Kurds onto the stage of the new century, enabling them to assert their presence across all spheres of life, to give meaning to their own identity, and to offer the region a new understanding of social revolution. At the same time, it came to represent the historical march of a leadership that mobilized women across the Middle East toward struggle, organization and the pursuit of a free life.
This historical march, shaped by conflict, resistance and a struggle for existence, has evolved into a process that has altered balances in Rojava and throughout the Middle East. The Kurdish resistance, spanning more than half a century, continues today as a force that shapes the social and political fabric of the region.
Large-scale marches are being held on 1 February across many cities in Rojava as part of the observance of “February 1, World Rojava Day.” In particular, thousands of people are expected to take to the streets in Qamishlo, where strong messages are anticipated regarding recent attacks against Rojava, as well as the agreements and understandings reached in their aftermath.
Following the attacks that began in Aleppo on January 6, millions of Kurds across the four parts of Kurdistan and in many countries around the world have gathered in public squares, declaring, “We stand with the Rojava resistance.” People filled the streets to demonstrate their will for solidarity and to salute the resistance in Rojava.
This historically significant period has once again made the Kurdish tradition of resistance visible. This powerful and rarely seen collective stance has led to February 1 being recorded in history as “World Rojava Day.”
SDF–Damascus agreement
Many issues remain open to discussion, ranging from Kurds’ constitutional rights to the education curriculum. The political and administrative structure of Rojava is expected to be clarified in the coming period within a defined framework, in line with diplomatic talks to be held.
The status of institutions affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the protection of Kurdish regions, and the scope of authority of committees to be established under an agreement to be reached with Damascus are among the issues expected to take shape through practical steps in the near future.
Military and administrative arrangements, such as the powers of the Hasakah (Hesekê) governor and the number of divisions and brigades planned to be established, are also still being negotiated between the parties.
A new beginning
Although the Middle East and Syria file had previously been addressed, particularly during the Paris Agreement process, as part of a plan of genocide, Kurds rejected being reduced to a passive element of international designs and instead reversed the course of the war. This stance not only altered the balance of forces in the region, but also became a historical achievement grounded in national unity and resistance.
Across Northern Kurdistan (Bakur) and in many parts of the world, the Kurdish people and their allies took a stand in defense of the Rojava revolution. This unprecedented collective position conveyed a powerful message of national unity among Kurds. The Rojava revolution, which has given concrete form to a centuries-old dream shared by Kurds from seven to seventy, is today becoming more visible and more meaningful through its achievements.
The women’s struggle took on a universal dimension
Kurdish women have stood on the frontlines of war since the 2011 period, preserving and carrying forward their culture, art, and social and political identity. They have also been the fundamental force that carried the revolution in Rojava to where it stands today. The Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) entered history as the most visible and concrete embodiment of this struggle.
Women were the ones who asserted a will of resistance across all spheres of life and who wove the Rojava revolution stitch by stitch through political, diplomatic and social work. The long-term struggle carried out by Kurdish women in Rojava has been inscribed in the pages of history as a powerful testament.
Fighting and resisting, YPJ fighters upheld both the gains of the Kurdish people and the line of women’s freedom. Their determination became one of the core elements shaping the spirit of the Rojava revolution.
Regardless of any agreement reached with Damascus, what has defined the Rojava revolution and given it color and meaning has been the resistance of Kurdish women and fighters who have struggled on these lands for years.
The Rojava experience proved influential across the region
The past fifteen years have been an extremely instructive and transformative period not only for the peoples of the region but also for Kurds.
From 2014 onward, Rojava witnessed a landscape shaped by armed conflict, volatile political developments, and constantly shifting balances. Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes, while Syria itself was transformed into a country that upended regional dynamics, deepened international crises and underwent successive regime changes.
Amid all these complex processes in Rojava, Kurds preserved their will to self-determination, both at diplomatic tables and on the battlefronts. In the face of regime changes, international pressure and military threats, they continued their path without retreating and without abandoning their own experience and resistance.
This long and arduous period positioned Kurds not merely as a community in the region, but as an effective political and military actor. Despite all risks, the Rojava experience has become a significant example demonstrating that a person can remain standing through their own organization and resistance.