ZURICH – Yesterday, the 10th anniversary of the revolution in Rojava was celebrated with many people on Helvetiaplatz in Zurich. In addition to the Rojava Solidarity Committee Zurich, the Democratic Kurdish Community of Switzerland (CDK-S), the Kurdish women’s movement YJK-S, the PYD and the revolutionary youth movement TCŞ and the militant young women TekoJIN had called for this.
The event opened with a minute of silence to the fallen of the revolution. Afterwards, the Rojava Committee welcomed the guests and called for the defense of the revolution in Rojava, which is currently threatened by the danger of a renewed invasion operation by the fascist occupying state of Turkey. After further speeches by the PYD, a greeting message by internationalists from Rojava was also broadcast. The anti-fascist group Revolutionary Youth Zurich had made large banners for this day and hung them on a building near the fairground in a clearly visible place, thus showing their own solidarity with the bearer of hope for freedom-loving people worldwide, Rojava.
During the event, we handed our microphone to the participants and we received the following messages:
One of the participants stated that they are very excited today because they have come together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the revolution in Rojava and they will resist until the physical liberation of the chairman here on the ground, in Zurich.
Mark from Zurich, who is organized in a communist organization in Zurich, stated the following:
“As revolutionaries, we naturally relate in solidarity to the alternative revolution in Rojava. We see that we can learn an incredible amount from the projects in Rojava, ecological and feminist aspects. And that’s exactly why I’m here today to celebrate 10 years of revolution.”
Riko the climate activist also participated in the celebration and stated:
“I am here because of the 10 years of revolution in Rojava. For us, Rojava is a ray of hope. We see in the world many things that are not really working and many things that are not good, especially in terms of climate. That’s why it’s really difficult to continue to have hope in the face of all the problems in the world. For me, Rojava is a glimmer of hope, a sign that shows an alternative. It shows that there are other forms than capitalism, that there are other forms than what we know here in the West as democracy, there are other ways. There are better forms that are perhaps also better suited to solve the climate and other social crises. Therefore, Turkey’s attack on the region is also an attack on the many ideas of how to actually how to solve the problems.” Riko further explained that if Turkey invades Rojava and kills people and destroys the revolution, it will be a glorifying sign internationally.
Another participant of the festival stated:
“On the 10th anniversary of the revolution in Rojava, we are working in the diaspora. We are trying to be a part of the revolution. Especially, for this revolution the Kurdish people, the peoples in the region and internationalists sacrificed their souls. With the social revolution, a hope arose among the peoples of the world. This has created a great agitation against capitalism, which establishes itself as the most powerful system in the world, a new alternative has emerged that has been spread all over the world because of the revolution in Rojava.”
An anti-fascist climate activist who was also at the festival stated:
“Today, on the 10th anniversary of the revolution in Rojava, I feel mixed emotions. On the one hand, I feel great respect for the people who have been trying for 10 years to live and defend an ecological, feminist and anti-fascist perspective in Rojava. On the other hand, I have great anger towards the Turkish state and Erdogan, who has wanted to destroy the Rojava project for years and is now planning a new invasion in the shadow of the Ukraine war. Even if the basic sitaution here in Switzerland is not the same as in Rojava I find it extremely important as a climate activist and anti-fascist to soldarize with the revolution in Rojava.”
Another activist at the festival explains that he feels solidarity with the people in North-East Syria above all and explains that he has been following the revolution in Rojava since he started to take an interest in politics. During this time, he has been convinced that this revolution must be something good and he has never changed his mind. The people there have a different standard of living through the revolution and are protected from the invasions of Turkey. That is why he shows his solidarity at the party and wants to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the revolution.
