One of the most signifi cant Kurds in history, Saladin, never fought for the Kurdish cause. The 12th century Army leader had projects he considered more important, a fact that is diffi cult to stomach for many Kurds today. Still, the Kurdish identity project has strong roots; as early as 1692, the writer Ahmad-i Khani formulated the ambition of a Kurdish nation state in his grand epic, Mem and Zin. But what does being a Kurd really entail? What God do you worship, what is your language, your political and national affi liation? How does your gender affect your Kurdish identity, and what does this look like today? War and persecution has forced many Kurds into exile. What does the Kurdish diasporic identity look like?
Sociologist and author Abbas Vali has been a leading Kurdish intellectual for several years. The academic Barzoo Eliassi has studied identity and belonging in the Kurdish diaspora, while Dilar Dilik has studied gender and identity among Syrian Kurds. The three of them will meet poet Endre Ruset for a conversation about what it means to be Kurdish.
PLEASE NOTE: Kawa Nemir, who was originally announced as a participant in this panel, unfortunately had to cancel due to personal reasons.
PHOTO: Kawa Nemir as Hamlet in a Kurdish production from 2012
English With Barzoo Eliassi, Abbas Vali and Dilar Dilik Wergeland Litteraturhuset Saladindagene 2016