Syrian Kurdish parties stress respect for Kurdish identity
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Two Kurdish political parties in Syria stressed on Saturday the need to protect Kurdish rights and respect Kurdish cultural identity, criticizing what they described as the marginalization of Kurdish language and culture during ongoing integration processes in al-Jazira region.
In a joint statement, the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party in Syria and the Kurdish Progressive Democratic Party in Syria said Syrian Kurds had welcomed Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2025, which recognized the Kurdish language as a national language.
“The Syrian Kurds were optimistic following the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 13 of 2025, which considered the Kurdish language a national language,” the statement said.
The two parties added that they had previously called, and continue to call, for Kurdish to be recognized as an official language in Kurdish-majority areas.
However, the statement noted that developments on the ground contradict “the spirit and text of the decree itself,” saying that matters related to Kurdish language and culture are being overlooked during integration processes, particularly in al-Jazira region in northeast Syria.
The parties concluded their statement by stressing “the necessity of respecting Kurdish cultural identity and avoiding everything that harms the rights of Kurds and their national sentiments.”
The Kurdish language and cultural rights have long remained central issues for Kurdish political parties and civil institutions in Syria, particularly in areas administered by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), where Kurdish is used alongside Arabic in educational and administrative institutions.