The first Kurdish Cultural Festival of Paris will take place from 14-28 May in the French capital.

The festival is being organised by the Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F), in partnership with the Institute for Reflection and Studies on Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Arts and Culture Association and the Danielle Mitterrand Foundation, and sponsored by the city of Paris as well as the 10th and 18th arrondissements and the municipalities of Montreuil and Grigny.

The festival has been presented as an opportunity to discover one of the oldest cultures of Mesopotamia, that of Kurdistan, the lands which saw the first civilisations and the birth of agriculture, through its music, songs and dances, through its cuisine, cinema and drama performances.

In addition to artistic and culinary performances and exhibitions, the festival hosts film screenings and discussions.

Children will not be left out in the festival: a workshop on traditional Kurdish tales and games will be dedicated to them.

Finally, internationally renowned Kurdish singers will take to the stage as part of a big concert on the last day of the festival.

“Paris will be talking about the Kurdish people all through May,” said festival committee member and CDK-F spokesperson Agit Polat, speaking to daily Özgür Politika.

“With this festival, we will show that the Kurds are not just a people demanding their political rights, but a people with a deep-rooted culture that served as one of the cradles of civilisation,” he added.