The organisers of the global campaign, ‘Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan – A Political Solution to the Kurdish Question’, are set to ramp up their efforts in an event titled ‘Dialogue with Öcalan – you can’t imprison ideas!’ scheduled from 15 to 22 June 2024. The goal is to address the ongoing isolation of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Öcalan and foster public discourse around his concepts and writings.
The wider campaign hosts a range of events at significant venues, including the European Parliament, and holds major rallies in cities, including Cologne. The campaign’s most recent initiative, a series of ‘Dialogue Days’, will encourage discussions on central themes of Öcalan’s philosophy.
Speaking to Medya News, Sarah Glynn, the spokesperson for the Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan Campaign Committee, emphasised the campaign’s objective to disseminate and debate Öcalan’s proposals for the Middle East and highlight his vision for peace and democracy worldwide.
Öcalan’s philosophy serves as a blueprint for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and grassroots democratic society, Glynn said. In particular, communities in the autonomous region of North and East Syria have woven Öcalan’s ideas on women’s liberation, ecology and radical democracy into their social and economic development over the past 15 years, since the Arab Spring.
The ‘dialogue’ events strive to place Öcalan’s ideas within the contemporary socio-political landscape, applying his theories to issues such as the rise of fascism, ecological crises and ongoing conflicts. Glynn underscored that the campaign not only seeks to challenge the conditions of Öcalan’s imprisonment but also aims to integrate his theoretical contributions into broader discussions, to shape a sustainable and equitable society worldwide. The practical application of this will also be addressed.
Further discussions will take place on themes including the origins and impact of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ (Woman, Life, Freedom) slogan, how cultural resistance can counter homogenisation enforced by the nation-state, and the concept of World War III.
Participants will deep dive into Öcalan’s democratic modernity paradigm and the core foundations of ecology, women’s liberation and grassroots democracy. Öcalan’s theories will be compared to various other influential thinkers, to provide a rich, educational experience.